Gaming system, gaming device, and method for providing a game having a first evaluation based on drawn symbols and a second evaluation based on an order in which the symbols are drawn

ABSTRACT

A gaming system displays a plurality of bingo cards each containing at least one column, each column having at least one square. Each square includes a random number selected from a range associated with that column. The gaming system displays each bingo card and an initially-empty accumulation area. Balls are drawn from a pool of balls, each ball associated with a number. As the balls are drawn, any square on any of the bingo cards containing the number of the drawn ball is marked with a suitable indicator. A primary award is provided for combinations of marked squares on one or more of the bingo cards. The gaming system displays the balls in the accumulated area in the order in which they are drawn. The gaming system provides a secondary award for combinations of balls displayed in the accumulation area.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a continuation of, and claims priority to and thebenefit of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/267,873, filed on Nov.10, 2008, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application relates to the following commonly owned co-pendingpatent application: “GAMING SYSTEM, GAMING DEVICE, AND METHOD FORPROVIDING A GAME HAVING A FIRST EVALUATION BASED ON DRAWN SYMBOLS AND ASECOND EVALUATION BASED ON AN ORDER IN WHICH THE SYMBOLS ARE DRAWN,”U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/359,237.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialwhich is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the photocopy reproduction of the patent document or thepatent disclosure in exactly the form it appears in the Patent andTrademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves allcopyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND

Gaming machines which provide players awards in primary or base gamesare well known. Such gaming machines generally require the player toplace or make a wager to activate the primary or base game. In many ofthese gaming machines, the award is based on the player obtaining awinning symbol or symbol combination and on the amount of the wager(e.g., the higher the wager, the higher the award). Generally, symbolsor symbol combinations which are less likely to occur provide higherawards. In such known gaming machines, the amount of the wager made onthe base game by the player may vary.

Certain known gaming machines are configured to provide an award basedon an outcome of a bingo-type primary or base game. In these gamingmachines, a bingo card is provided which is divided into a matrix ofpositions or squares. For example, a gaming machine may provide a bingocard having five columns of five positions each. Certain known gamingmachines assign a symbol (such as a numeral) to each of the positions ofthe bingo card. These symbols may be assigned based on a rangeassociated with the positions of the bingo card. For example, adifferent range may be associated with the positions of each column of abingo card, and the gaming machine may assign a position from theassociated range to each of the positions.

Such gaming machines are configured to select or draw a plurality ofsymbols from a pool of symbols for a play of the game. The symbols aretypically randomly selected from the pool of symbols, and typically maybe selected only once for a single play of the bingo-type game. Therange of symbols in the pool of symbols includes the ranges associatedwith each of the positions of the bingo card. For each symbol selectedfrom the pool of symbols, the gaming machine marks or otherwiseindicates any position of the bingo card with an assigned symbol whichmatches the selected or drawn symbol. The quantity of symbols selectedfrom the pool for a single play of the bingo-type game can vary, buttypically is substantially less the quantity of symbols in the pool ofsymbols.

These gaming machines provide awards to players wagering on plays of thebingo-type primary or base games based on combinations of the positionsof the bingo card which are indicated after the plurality of symbols areselected. Specifically, these gaming machines analyze a pattern orspatial arrangement of indicated positions on the bingo card and providean award based on that pattern or spatial arrangement. For example, suchgaming machines may provide awards for a row of indicated positions, acolumn of indicated positions, a diagonal line of indicated positions,or other suitable patterns or spatial arrangements of indicatedpositions.

Certain known gaming machines also provide bingo-type games in which aplayer can place a wager on one or more bonus symbols which are drawnfor a play of the game. Upon receiving an appropriate wager, such knowngaming machines select at least one additional bonus symbol from thepool of symbols. For each bonus symbol drawn, the gaming machineindicates any matching positions and provides any awards based on thespatial relationships of the indicated positions. Thus, rather thandrawing thirty symbols for a play of the game, an appropriate wager maycause such a gaming machine to draw thirty-two symbols.

There is a continuing need to increase the excitement and entertainmentfor players of gaming machines providing bingo-type games such as thosedescribed above. There is also need for new ways of providing bettergaming experiences and environments at gaming machines. There is afurther need for increasing the number of awards provided to a playerfor a single wager on a play of a bingo-type primary game.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates generally to gaming systems, gamingdevices, and methods for providing a game having two evaluations of aset of generated symbols, and more particularly to a gaming system,gaming device, and method for providing a bingo-type game having a firstaward evaluation based on combinations of symbols indicated on one ormore bingo cards which match a plurality of randomly selected displayedsymbols and a second award evaluation based on the order in which thedisplayed randomly selected symbols are selected for the firstevaluation.

In various embodiments, the gaming system enables a player to wager on aplay of a game including a plurality of separate matrices, sets, orcollections of symbol positions. In one embodiment, the gaming systemdisplays at least one matrix of symbol positions including a pluralityof symbol positions arranged in at least one row and in at least onecolumn. In one embodiment, the gaming system includes a symbol pool fromwhich a plurality of symbols are selected to populate or fill theplurality of matrices of symbol positions prior to drawing or selectingany symbols for a play of the game. For the play of the game, the gamingsystem sequentially selects a plurality of symbols from the symbol pool.As each symbol is selected from the symbol pool, the gaming system: (a)determines whether the selected symbol is displayed in a symbol positionof any displayed matrix of symbol positions (b) indicates that a symbolof one of the symbol positions of one of the matrices of symbols hasbeen selected if such a match occurs, and (c) sequentially displays theselected symbol in an additional or separate selected symbolaccumulation area. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides a firstaward, if any, based on winning symbol combinations of the selectedsymbols in the symbol positions. For example, if the matched symbols arespatially related to form a horizontal line, the gaming system mayprovide a first award. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides asecond award, if any, based on any winning combinations of symbolsdisplayed in the separate selected symbol accumulation area. Forexample, if the symbols displayed in the separate selected symbolaccumulation area form a winning symbol combination, such as a row of anascending sequence of numbers, the gaming system provides the secondaward.

In one embodiment, the gaming system disclosed herein displays aplurality of matrices of symbol positions. In this embodiment, thegaming system displays each of the matrices of symbol positions as abingo card having a plurality of columns of symbol positions and aplurality of rows of symbol positions. In one embodiment, each of thebingo cards can display a plurality of symbols as randomly positioned inthe symbol positions of that bingo card. In an alternative embodiment,each symbol position of each bingo card is associated with a range ofsymbols and will only display symbols from the associated range ofsymbols.

In one embodiment, the gaming system also displays a separate selectedsymbol accumulation area. In one such embodiment, the gaming systemdisplays the separate selected symbol accumulation area as a matrix ofinitially empty symbol positions arranged in a plurality of rows and aplurality of columns. In one embodiment, the selected symbolaccumulation area also includes at least one bonus symbol position fordisplaying at least one bonus symbol.

For a play of the game disclosed herein, the gaming system in oneembodiment fills the plurality of symbol positions of the bingo cards byassigning a different symbol from a symbol pool to each symbol positionof each bingo card and displaying the selected symbol in the appropriatesymbol position.

In one embodiment, the gaming system randomly selects a first one of asequence of the symbols from the symbol pool. The gaming systemdetermines whether any of the displayed symbols in the symbol matricesmatch the selected symbol. If such a match occurs, the gaming systemdisplays an indicator associated with the symbol position displaying thematched symbol. For example, if a numeric symbol having a value of eightis displayed in one of the symbol matrices, and a symbol having a valueof sixteen is selected during the play of the game, the gaming systemdisplays an “X” symbol associated with the eight symbol of theappropriate symbol matrix.

In one embodiment, the gaming system also displays each selected symbolin the selected symbol accumulation area based on the order in which thesymbol was selected. For example, the gaming system may display a firstselected symbol in a lower-right symbol position of the selected symbolaccumulation area. The gaming system may display subsequently selectedsymbols as filling the right-most column of the selected symbolaccumulation area, and thereafter filling each respective column fromright to left.

In one embodiment, the gaming system repeats this selection of symbolsfrom the symbol pool until a designated number of symbols (such as thenumber of symbol positions of the selected symbol accumulation area)have has been selected. In another embodiment, the gaming system repeatsthis selection of symbols until a winning symbol combination isdisplayed for one of symbol matrices. In various embodiments, the gamingsystem prevents the selected symbol from being re-selected for thesequence of symbols by removing the selected symbol from the symbol poolor by flagging the selected symbol such that it is not eligible forre-selection.

In one embodiment, the gaming system selects symbols and determinesmatches until none of the symbol positions of the separate selectedsymbol accumulation area are empty. In this embodiment, after selectingthe sequence of symbols, the gaming system determines whether to providenone, either, or both of a first award and a second award to the player.

In one embodiment, the first award is based on the symbols in the symbolpositions of the plurality of bingo cards which match one of the drawnsymbols. In this embodiment, the gaming system provides the first awardbased on one or more winning combinations of indicated symbol positionsof the plurality of bingo cards. In one embodiment, a winningcombination of indicated symbols is determined based on a predeterminedpattern or spatial relationship between or a geometric shape of theindicated symbol positions. For example, the gaming system may provide afirst award based on one or more geometric shapes formed by indicatedsymbol positions, the shapes including: horizontal lines, verticallines, rectangles, diagonal lines, L-shapes, T-shapes, V-shapes,indicated corners, or other appropriate shapes.

In one embodiment, the second award (if any) is based on any winningcombinations of the symbols displayed in the separate selected symbolaccumulation area. In one embodiment, the second award is based on theorder in which the gaming system selected the symbols during the play ofthe game. For example, the gaming system may provide the second award ifan ascending sequence of numbers is displayed in one of the rows of theselected symbol accumulation area.

In one embodiment, in addition to any first award and any second award,the gaming system generates one or more bonus symbols for a play of thegame. In one such embodiment, whether the gaming system generates suchbonus symbols is based on any first award and/or any second awardprovided for the play of the game. In this embodiment, if the gamingsystem determines that the generation of one or more bonus symbols isappropriate, the gaming system selects one or more additional symbolsfrom the symbol pool and determines any matches as discussed above. Thegaming system provides any additional awards based on newly formedsymbol combinations in the symbol matrices and/or in the selected symbolaccumulation area.

It should be appreciated that the disclosed gaming system in oneembodiment provides a player with an opportunity to play a bingo-typegame wherein a first award is based on the geometric arrangement orspatial relationship of a plurality of matched symbols displayed in thesymbol positions of one or more matrices of symbol positions and whereina second award, independent of the indicated matched symbols of theplurality of matrices of symbol positions, is based on the sequence inwhich the symbols were drawn from the symbol pool.

Additional features and advantages are described in, and will beapparent from, the following Detailed Description and the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of example alternative embodimentsof the gaming device of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2A is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of an electronicconfiguration for one of the gaming devices disclosed herein.

FIG. 2B is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of a networkconfiguration for a plurality of gaming devices disclosed herein.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an example process for providing the gamedisclosed herein.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D are front perspective views of one embodimentof the gaming device disclosed herein illustrating a plurality of symbolmatrices and a separate selected symbol accumulation area.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the gaming devicedisclosed herein wherein each of the selected symbols of the selectedsymbol accumulation area includes an additional characteristic.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure may be implemented in various configurations forgaming machines, gaming devices, or gaming systems, including but notlimited to: (1) a dedicated gaming machine, gaming device, or gamingsystem wherein the computerized instructions for controlling any games(which are provided by the gaming machine or gaming device) are providedwith the gaming machine or gaming device prior to delivery to a gamingestablishment; and (2) a changeable gaming machine, gaming device, orgaming system wherein the computerized instructions for controlling anygames (which are provided by the gaming machine or gaming device) aredownloadable to the gaming machine or gaming device through a datanetwork after the gaming machine or gaming device is in a gamingestablishment. In one embodiment, the computerized instructions forcontrolling any games are executed by at least one central server,central controller, or remote host. In such a “thin client” embodiment,the central server remotely controls any games (or other suitableinterfaces) and the gaming device is utilized to display such games (orsuitable interfaces) and receive one or more inputs or commands from aplayer. In another embodiment, the computerized instructions forcontrolling any games are communicated from the central server, centralcontroller, or remote host to a gaming device local processor and memorydevices. In such a “thick client” embodiment, the gaming device localprocessor executes the communicated computerized instructions to controlany games (or other suitable interfaces) provided to a player.

In one embodiment, one or more gaming devices in a gaming system may bethin client gaming devices and one or more gaming devices in the gamingsystem may be thick client gaming devices. In another embodiment,certain functions of the gaming device are implemented in a thin clientenvironment and certain other functions of the gaming device areimplemented in a thick client environment. In one such embodiment,computerized instructions for controlling any primary games arecommunicated from the central server to the gaming device in a thickclient configuration and computerized instructions for controlling anysecondary games or bonus functions are executed by a central server in athin client configuration.

Referring now to the drawings, two example alternative embodiments of agaming device disclosed herein are illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B asgaming device 10 a and gaming device 10 b, respectively. Gaming device10 a and/or gaming device 10 b are generally referred to herein asgaming device 10.

In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, gaming device 10 hasa support structure, housing, or cabinet which provides support for aplurality of displays, inputs, controls, and other features of aconventional gaming machine. It is configured so that a player canoperate it while standing or sitting. The gaming device can bepositioned on a base or stand or can be configured as a pub-styletable-top game (not shown) which a player can operate preferably whilesitting. As illustrated by the different configurations shown in FIGS.1A and 1B, the gaming device may have varying cabinet and displayconfigurations.

In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, the gaming devicepreferably includes at least one processor 12, such as a microprocessor,a microcontroller-based platform, a suitable integrated circuit or oneor more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The processoris in communication with or operable to access or to exchange signalswith at least one data storage or memory device 14. In one embodiment,the processor and the memory device reside within the cabinet of thegaming device. The memory device stores program code and instructions,executable by the processor, to control the gaming device. The memorydevice also stores other data such as image data, event data, playerinput data, random or pseudo-random number generators, pay-table data orinformation, and applicable game rules that relate to the play of thegaming device. In one embodiment, the memory device includes randomaccess memory (RAM), which can include non-volatile RAM (NVRAM),magnetic RAM (MRAM), ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), and other forms ascommonly understood in the gaming industry. In one embodiment, thememory device includes read only memory (ROM). In one embodiment, thememory device includes flash memory and/or EEPROM (electrically erasableprogrammable read only memory). Any other suitable magnetic, optical,and/or semiconductor memory may operate in conjunction with the gamingdevice disclosed herein.

In one embodiment, part or all of the program code and/or operating datadescribed above can be stored in a detachable or removable memorydevice, including, but not limited to, a suitable cartridge, disk, CDROM, DVD, or USB memory device. In other embodiments, part or all of theprogram code and/or operating data described above can be downloaded tothe memory device through a suitable network.

In one embodiment, an operator or a player can use such a removablememory device in a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a portable computing device, or anothercomputerized platform to implement the present disclosure. In oneembodiment, the gaming device or gaming machine disclosed herein isoperable over a wireless network, for example part of a wireless gamingsystem. In this embodiment, the gaming machine may be a hand-helddevice, a mobile device, or any other suitable wireless device thatenables a player to play any suitable game at a variety of differentlocations. It should be appreciated that a gaming device or gamingmachine as disclosed herein may be a device that has obtained approvalfrom a regulatory gaming commission or a device that has not obtainedapproval from a regulatory gaming commission. It should be appreciatedthat the processor and memory device may be collectively referred toherein as a “computer” or “controller.”

In one embodiment, as discussed in more detail below, the gaming devicerandomly generates awards and/or other game outcomes based onprobability data. In one such embodiment, this random determination isprovided through utilization of a random number generator (RNG), such asa true random number generator, a pseudo random number generator, orother suitable randomization process. In one embodiment, each award orother game outcome is associated with a probability and the gamingdevice generates the award or other game outcome to be provided to theplayer based on the associated probabilities. In this embodiment, sincethe gaming device generates outcomes randomly or based upon one or moreprobability calculations, there is no certainty that the gaming devicewill ever provide the player with any specific award or other gameoutcome.

In another embodiment, as discussed in more detail below, the gamingdevice employs a predetermined or finite set or pool of awards or othergame outcomes. In this embodiment, as each award or other game outcomeis provided to the player, the gaming device flags or removes theprovided award or other game outcome from the predetermined set or pool.Once flagged or removed from the set or pool, the specific providedaward or other game outcome from that specific pool cannot be providedto the player again. This type of gaming device provides players withall of the available awards or other game outcomes over the course ofthe play cycle and guarantees the amount of actual wins and losses.

In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, the gaming device includesone or more display devices controlled by the processor. The displaydevices are preferably connected to or mounted on the cabinet of thegaming device. The embodiment shown in FIG. 1A includes a centraldisplay device 16 which displays a primary game. This display device mayalso display any suitable secondary game associated with the primarygame as well as information relating to the primary or secondary game.The alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 1B includes a central displaydevice 16 and an upper display device 18. The upper display device maydisplay the primary game, any suitable secondary game associated or notassociated with the primary game and/or information relating to theprimary or secondary game. These display devices may also serve asdigital glass operable to advertise games or other aspects of the gamingestablishment. As seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in one embodiment, the gamingdevice includes a credit display 20 which displays a player's currentnumber of credits, cash, account balance, or the equivalent. In oneembodiment, the gaming device includes a bet display 22 which displays aplayer's amount wagered. In one embodiment, as described in more detailbelow, the gaming device includes a player tracking display 40 whichdisplays information regarding a player's play tracking status.

In another embodiment, at least one display device may be a mobiledisplay device, such as a PDA or tablet PC, that enables play of atleast a portion of the primary or secondary game at a location remotefrom the gaming device.

The display devices may include, without limitation, a monitor, atelevision display, a plasma display, a liquid crystal display (LCD) adisplay based on light emitting diodes (LEDs), a display based on aplurality of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), a display based onpolymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs), a display based on a plurality ofsurface-conduction electron-emitters (SEDs), a display including aprojected and/or reflected image, or any other suitable electronicdevice or display mechanism. In one embodiment, as described in moredetail below, the display device includes a touch-screen with anassociated touch-screen controller. The display devices may be of anysuitable size and configuration, such as a square, a rectangle or anelongated rectangle.

The display devices of the gaming device are configured to display atleast one and preferably a plurality of game or other suitable images,symbols and indicia such as any visual representation or exhibition ofthe movement of objects such as mechanical, virtual, or video reels andwheels, dynamic lighting, video images, images of people, characters,places, things, faces of cards, and the like.

In one alternative embodiment, the symbols, images and indicia displayedon or of the display device may be in mechanical form. That is, thedisplay device may include any electromechanical device, such as one ormore mechanical objects, such as one or more rotatable wheels, reels, ordice, configured to display at least one or a plurality of game or othersuitable images, symbols or indicia.

As illustrated in FIG. 2A, in one embodiment, the gaming device includesat least one payment device 24 in communication with the processor. Asseen in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a payment device such as a payment acceptorincludes a note, ticket or bill acceptor 28 wherein the player insertspaper money, a ticket, or voucher and a coin slot 26 where the playerinserts money, coins, or tokens. In other embodiments, payment devicessuch as readers or validators for credit cards, debit cards or creditslips may accept payment. In one embodiment, a player may insert anidentification card into a card reader of the gaming device. In oneembodiment, the identification card is a smart card having a programmedmicrochip, a coded magnetic strip or coded rewritable magnetic strip,wherein the programmed microchip or magnetic strips are coded with aplayer's identification, credit totals (or related data), and/or otherrelevant information. In another embodiment, a player may carry aportable device, such as a cell phone, a radio frequency identificationtag, or any other suitable wireless device, which communicates aplayer's identification, credit totals (or related data), and otherrelevant information to the gaming device. In one embodiment, money maybe transferred to a gaming device through electronic funds transfer.When a player funds the gaming device, the processor determines theamount of funds entered and displays the corresponding amount on thecredit or other suitable display as described above.

As seen in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2A, in one embodiment the gaming deviceincludes at least one and preferably a plurality of input devices 30 incommunication with the processor. The input devices can include anysuitable device which enables the player to produce an input signalwhich is received by the processor. In one embodiment, after appropriatefunding of the gaming device, the input device is a game activationdevice, such as a play button 32 or a pull arm (not shown) which is usedby the player to start any primary game or sequence of events in thegaming device. The play button can be any suitable play activator suchas a bet one button, a max bet button, or a repeat the bet button. Inone embodiment, upon appropriate funding, the gaming device begins thegame play automatically. In another embodiment, upon the player engagingone of the play buttons, the gaming device automatically activates gameplay.

In one embodiment, one input device is a bet one button. The playerplaces a bet by pushing the bet one button. The player can increase thebet by one credit each time the player pushes the bet one button. Whenthe player pushes the bet one button, the number of credits shown in thecredit display preferably decreases by one, and the number of creditsshown in the bet display preferably increases by one. In anotherembodiment, one input device is a bet max button (not shown) whichenables the player to bet the maximum wager permitted for a game of thegaming device.

In one embodiment, one input device is a cash out button 34. The playermay push the cash out button and cash out to receive a cash payment orother suitable form of payment corresponding to the number of remainingcredits. In one embodiment, when the player cashes out, a paymentdevice, such as a ticket, payment, or note generator 36 prints orotherwise generates a ticket or credit slip to provide to the player.The player receives the ticket or credit slip and may redeem the valueassociated with the ticket or credit slip via a cashier (or othersuitable redemption system). In another embodiment, when the playercashes out, the player receives the coins or tokens in a coin payouttray. It should be appreciated that any suitable payout mechanisms, suchas funding to the player's electronically recordable identification cardor smart card, may be implemented in accordance with the gaming devicedisclosed herein.

In one embodiment, as mentioned above and as seen in FIG. 2A, one inputdevice is a touch-screen 42 coupled with a touch-screen controller 44 orsome other touch-sensitive display overlay to allow for playerinteraction with the images on the display. The touch-screen and thetouch-screen controller are connected to a video controller 46. A playercan make decisions and input signals into the gaming device by touchingthe touch-screen at the appropriate locations. One such input device isa conventional touch-screen button panel.

The gaming device may further include a plurality of communication portsfor enabling communication of the processor with external peripherals,such as external video sources, expansion buses, game or other displays,a SCSI port, or a keypad.

In one embodiment, as seen in FIG. 2A, the gaming device includes asound generating device controlled by one or more sounds cards 48 whichfunction in conjunction with the processor. In one embodiment, the soundgenerating device includes at least one and preferably a plurality ofspeakers 50 or other sound generating hardware and/or software forgenerating sounds, such as by playing music for the primary and/orsecondary game or by playing music for other modes of the gaming device,such as an attract mode. In one embodiment, the gaming device providesdynamic sounds coupled with attractive multimedia images displayed onone or more of the display devices to provide an audio-visualrepresentation or to otherwise display full-motion video with sound toattract players to the gaming device. During idle periods, the gamingdevice may display a sequence of audio and/or visual attraction messagesto attract potential players to the gaming device. The videos may alsobe customized to provide any appropriate information.

In one embodiment, the gaming machine may include a sensor, such as acamera, in communication with the processor (and possibly controlled bythe processor), that is selectively positioned to acquire an image of aplayer actively using the gaming device and/or the surrounding area ofthe gaming device. In one embodiment, the camera may be configured toselectively acquire still or moving (e.g., video) images and may beconfigured to acquire the images in an analog, digital, or othersuitable format. The display devices may be configured to display theimage acquired by the camera as well as to display the visiblemanifestation of the game in split screen or picture-in-picture fashion.For example, the camera may acquire an image of the player and theprocessor may incorporate that image into the primary and/or secondarygame as a game image, symbol or indicia.

Gaming device 10 can incorporate any suitable wagering game as theprimary or base game. In one embodiment, the bingo-type game disclosedherein is implemented as a base or primary game. The gaming machine ordevice may include some or all of the features of conventional gamingmachines or devices. Alternatively, if the bingo-type game disclosedherein is implemented as a secondary game, the primary or base game maycomprise any suitable reel-type game, card game, cascading or fallingsymbol game, number game, or other game of chance susceptible torepresentation in an electronic or electromechanical form, which in oneembodiment produces a random outcome based on probability data at thetime of or after placement of a wager. That is, different primarywagering games, such as video poker games, video blackjack games, videokeno, video bingo or any other suitable primary or base game may beimplemented.

In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, if the bingo-typegame disclosed herein is implemented as a secondary game, a base orprimary game may be a slot game with one or more paylines 52. Thepaylines may be horizontal, vertical, circular, diagonal, angled or anycombination thereof. In this embodiment, the gaming device includes atleast one and preferably a plurality of reels 54, such as three to fivereels 54, in either electromechanical form with mechanical rotatingreels or video form with simulated reels and movement thereof. In oneembodiment, an electromechanical slot machine includes a plurality ofadjacent, rotatable reels which may be combined and operably coupledwith an electronic display of any suitable type.

In another embodiment, if the reels 54 are in video form, one or more ofthe display devices, as described above, displays the plurality ofsimulated video reels 54. Each reel 54 displays a plurality of indiciaor symbols, such as bells, hearts, fruits, numbers, letters, bars, orother images which preferably correspond to a theme associated with thegaming device. In another embodiment, one or more of the reels areindependent reels or unisymbol reels. In this embodiment, eachindependent or unisymbol reel generates and displays one symbol to theplayer. In one embodiment, the gaming device awards prizes after thereels of the primary game stop spinning if specified types and/orconfigurations of indicia or symbols occur on an active payline orotherwise occur in a winning pattern, occur on the requisite number ofadjacent reels and/or occur in a scatter pay arrangement.

In an alternative embodiment, rather than determining any outcome toprovide to the player by analyzing the symbols generated on any wageredupon paylines as described above, the gaming device determines anyoutcome to provide to the player based on the number of associatedsymbols which are generated in active symbol positions on the requisitenumber of adjacent reels (i.e., not on paylines passing through anydisplayed winning symbol combinations). In this embodiment, if a winningsymbol combination is generated on the reels, the gaming device providesthe player one award for that occurrence of the generated winning symbolcombination. For example, if one winning symbol combination is generatedon the reels, the gaming device will provide a single award to theplayer for that winning symbol combination (i.e., not based on thenumber of paylines that would have passed through that winning symbolcombination). It should be appreciated that because a gaming device thatenables wagering on ways to win provides the player one award for asingle occurrence of a winning symbol combination and a gaming devicewith paylines may provide the player more than one award for the sameoccurrence of a single winning symbol combination (i.e., if a pluralityof paylines each pass through the same winning symbol combination), itis possible to provide a player at a ways to win gaming device with moreways to win for an equivalent bet or wager on a traditional slot gamingdevice with paylines.

In one embodiment, the total number of ways to win is determined bymultiplying the number of symbols generated in active symbol positionson a first reel by the number of symbols generated in active symbolpositions on a second reel by the number of symbols generated in activesymbol positions on a third reel and so on for each reel of the gamingdevice with at least one symbol generated in an active symbol position.For example, a three reel gaming device with three symbols generated inactive symbol positions on each reel includes 27 ways to win (i.e., 3symbols on the first reel×3 symbols on the second reel×3 symbols on thethird reel). A four reel gaming device with three symbols generated inactive symbol positions on each reel includes 81 ways to win (i.e., 3symbols on the first reel×3 symbols on the second reel×3 symbols on thethird reel×3 symbols on the fourth reel). A five reel gaming device withthree symbols generated in active symbol positions on each reel includes243 ways to win (i.e., 3 symbols on the first reel×3 symbols on thesecond reel×3 symbols on the third reel×3 symbols on the fourth reel×3symbols on the fifth reel). It should be appreciated that modifying thenumber of generated symbols by either modifying the number of reels ormodifying the number of symbols generated in active symbol positions byone or more of the reels modifies the number of ways to win.

In another embodiment, the gaming device enables a player to wager onand thus activate symbol positions. In one such embodiment, the symbolpositions are on the reels. In this embodiment, if based on the player'swager, a reel is activated, then each of the symbol positions of thatreel will be activated and each of the active symbol positions will bepart of one or more of the ways to win. In one embodiment, if based onthe player's wager, a reel is not activated, then a designated number ofdefault symbol positions, such as a single symbol position of the middlerow of the reel, will be activated and the default symbol position(s)will be part of one or more of the ways to win. This type of gamingmachine enables a player to wager on one, more than one or all of thereels and the processor of the gaming device uses the number of wageredon reels to determine the active symbol positions and the number ofpossible ways to win. In alternative embodiments, (1) no symbols aredisplayed as generated at any of the inactive symbol positions, or (2)any symbols generated at any inactive symbol positions may be displayedto the player but suitably shaded or otherwise designated as inactive.

In one embodiment wherein a player wagers on one or more reels, aplayer's wager of one credit may activate each of the three symbolpositions on a first reel, wherein one default symbol position isactivated on each of the remaining four reels. In this example, asdescribed above, the gaming device provides the player three ways to win(i.e., 3 symbols on the first reel×1 symbol on the second reel×1 symbolon the third reel×1 symbol on the fourth reel×1 symbol on the fifthreel). In another example, a player's wager of nine credits may activateeach of the three symbol positions on a first reel, each of the threesymbol positions on a second reel and each of the three symbol positionson a third reel wherein one default symbol position is activated on eachof the remaining two reels. In this example, as described above, thegaming device provides the player twenty-seven ways to win (i.e., 3symbols on the first reel×3 symbols on the second reel×3 symbols on thethird reel×1 symbol on the fourth reel×1 symbol on the fifth reel).

In one embodiment, to determine any award(s) to provide to the playerbased on the generated symbols, the gaming device individuallydetermines if a symbol generated in an active symbol position on a firstreel forms part of a winning symbol combination with or is otherwisesuitably related to a symbol generated in an active symbol position on asecond reel. In this embodiment, the gaming device classifies each pairof symbols which form part of a winning symbol combination (i.e., eachpair of related symbols) as a string of related symbols. For example, ifactive symbol positions include a first cherry symbol generated in thetop row of a first reel and a second cherry symbol generated in thebottom row of a second reel, the gaming device classifies the two cherrysymbols as a string of related symbols because the two cherry symbolsform part of a winning symbol combination.

After determining if any strings of related symbols are formed betweenthe symbols on the first reel and the symbols on the second reel, thegaming device determines if any of the symbols from the next adjacentreel should be added to any of the formed strings of related symbols. Inthis embodiment, for a first of the classified strings of relatedsymbols, the gaming device determines if any of the symbols generated bythe next adjacent reel form part of a winning symbol combination or areotherwise related to the symbols of the first string of related symbols.If the gaming device determines that a symbol generated on the nextadjacent reel is related to the symbols of the first string of relatedsymbols, that symbol is subsequently added to the first string ofrelated symbols. For example, if the first string of related symbols isthe string of related cherry symbols and a related cherry symbol isgenerated in the middle row of the third reel, the gaming device addsthe related cherry symbol generated on the third reel to the previouslyclassified string of cherry symbols.

On the other hand, if the gaming device determines that no symbolsgenerated on the next adjacent reel are related to the symbols of thefirst string of related symbols, the gaming device marks or flags suchstring of related symbols as complete. For example, if the first stringof related symbols is the string of related cherry symbols and none ofthe symbols of the third reel are related to the cherry symbols of thepreviously classified string of cherry symbols, the gaming device marksor flags the string of two cherry symbols as complete.

After either adding a related symbol to the first string of relatedsymbols or marking the first string of related symbols as complete, thegaming device proceeds as described above for each of the remainingclassified strings of related symbols which were previously classifiedor formed from related symbols on the first and second reels.

After analyzing each of the remaining strings of related symbols, thegaming device determines, for each remaining pending or incompletestring of related symbols, if any of the symbols from the next adjacentreel, if any, should be added to any of the previously classifiedstrings of related symbols. This process continues until either eachstring of related symbols is complete or there are no more adjacentreels of symbols to analyze. In this embodiment, where there are no moreadjacent reels of symbols to analyze, the gaming device marks each ofthe remaining pending strings of related symbols as complete.

When each of the strings of related symbols is marked complete, thegaming device compares each of the strings of related symbols to anappropriate paytable and provides the player any award associated witheach of the completed strings of symbols. It should be appreciated thatthe player is provided one award, if any, for each string of relatedsymbols generated in active symbol positions (i.e., as opposed to aquantity of awards being based on how many paylines that would havepassed through each of the strings of related symbols in active symbolpositions).

In one embodiment, if the bingo-type game disclosed herein isimplemented as a secondary game, a base or primary game may be a pokergame wherein the gaming device enables the player to play a conventionalgame of video draw poker and initially deals five cards all face up froma virtual deck of fifty-two cards. Cards may be dealt as in atraditional game of cards or in the case of the gaming device, the cardsmay be randomly selected from a predetermined number of cards. If theplayer wishes to draw, the player selects the cards to hold via one ormore input devices, such as by pressing related hold buttons or via thetouch screen. The player then presses the deal button and the unwantedor discarded cards are removed from the display and the gaming machinedeals the replacement cards from the remaining cards in the deck. Thisresults in a final five-card hand. The gaming device compares the finalfive-card hand to a payout table which utilizes conventional poker handrankings to determine the winning hands. The gaming device provides theplayer with an award based on a winning hand and the number of creditsthe player wagered.

In another embodiment, the base or primary game may be a multi-handversion of video poker. In this embodiment, the gaming device deals theplayer at least two hands of cards. In one such embodiment, the cardsare the same cards. In one embodiment each hand of cards is associatedwith its own deck of cards. The player chooses the cards to hold in aprimary hand. The held cards in the primary hand are also held in theother hands of cards. The remaining non-held cards are removed from eachhand displayed and for each hand replacement cards are randomly dealtinto that hand. Since the replacement cards are randomly dealtindependently for each hand, the replacement cards for each hand willusually be different. The poker hand rankings are then determined handby hand against a payout table and awards are provided to the player.

In one embodiment, if the bingo-type game disclosed herein isimplemented as a secondary game, a base or primary game may be a kenogame wherein the gaming device displays a plurality of selectableindicia or numbers on at least one of the display devices. In thisembodiment, the player selects at least one bit potentially a pluralityof the selectable indicia or numbers via an input device such as a touchscreen. The gaming device then displays a series of drawn numbers anddetermine an amount of matches, if any, between the player's selectednumbers and the gaming device's drawn numbers. The player is provided anaward based on the amount of matches, if any, based on the amount ofdetermined matches and the number of numbers drawn.

In one embodiment, in addition to winning credits or other awards in abase or primary game, the gaming device may also give players theopportunity to win credits in a bonus or secondary game or in a bonus orsecondary round. The bonus or secondary game enables the player toobtain a prize or payout in addition to the prize or payout, if any,obtained from the base or primary game. In general, a bonus or secondarygame produces a significantly higher level of player excitement than thebase or primary game because it provides a greater expectation ofwinning than the base or primary game, and is accompanied with moreattractive or unusual features than the base or primary game. In oneembodiment, the bonus or secondary game may be any type of suitablegame, either similar to or completely different from the base or primarygame.

In one embodiment, the triggering event or qualifying condition may be aselected outcome in the primary game or a particular arrangement of oneor more indicia on a display device in the primary game, such as thenumber seven appearing on three adjacent reels along a payline in theprimary slot game embodiment seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B. In otherembodiments, the triggering event or qualifying condition occurs basedon exceeding a certain amount of game play (such as number of games,number of credits, amount of time), or reaching a specified number ofpoints earned during game play.

In another embodiment, the gaming device processor 12 or centralcontroller 56 randomly provides the player one or more plays of one ormore secondary games. In one such embodiment, the gaming device does notprovide any apparent reason to the player for qualifying to play asecondary or bonus game. In this embodiment, qualifying for a bonus gameis not triggered by an event in or based specifically on any of theplays of any primary game. That is, the gaming device may simply qualifya player to play a secondary game without any explanation oralternatively with simple explanations. In another embodiment, thegaming device (or central server) qualifies a player for a secondarygame at least partially based on a game triggered or symbol triggeredevent, such as at least partially based on the play of a primary game.

In one embodiment, the bingo-type game disclosed herein is implementedas a bonus or secondary game. In this embodiment, for an appropriatetriggering event, the gaming device enables a player to play thedisclosed bingo-type game and determines whether to provide none, one,or both of the disclosed first award and the disclosed second award. Inanother embodiment, the disclosed bingo-type game is implemented as botha base game and a bonus game. In this embodiment, the first awardprovided as disclosed is provided as a base game award, and the secondaward disclosed is provided as a bonus game award.

In one embodiment, the gaming device includes a program which willautomatically begin a bonus round after the player has achieved atriggering event or qualifying condition in the base or primary game. Inanother embodiment, after a player has qualified for a bonus game, theplayer may subsequently enhance his/her bonus game participation throughcontinued play on the base or primary game. Thus, for each bonusqualifying event, such as a bonus symbol, that the player obtains, agiven number of bonus game wagering points or credits may be accumulatedin a “bonus meter” programmed to accrue the bonus wagering credits orentries toward eventual participation in a bonus game. The occurrence ofmultiple such bonus qualifying events in the primary game may result inan arithmetic or exponential increase in the number of bonus wageringcredits awarded. In one embodiment, the player may redeem extra bonuswagering credits during the bonus game to extend play of the bonus game.

In one embodiment, no separate entry fee or buy-in for a bonus game isneeded. That is, a player may not purchase entry into a bonus game;rather they must win or earn entry through play of the primary game,thus encouraging play of the primary game. In another embodiment,qualification of the bonus or secondary game is accomplished through asimple “buy-in” by the player—for example, if the player has beenunsuccessful at qualifying through other specified activities. Inanother embodiment, the player must make a separate side-wager on thebonus game or wager a designated amount in the primary game to qualifyfor the secondary game. In this embodiment, the secondary gametriggering event must occur and the side-wager (or designated primarygame wager amount) must have been placed to trigger the secondary game.

In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, one or more of the gamingdevices 10 are in communication with each other and/or at least onecentral controller 56 through a data network or remote communicationlink 58. In this embodiment, the central server, central controller orremote host is any suitable server or computing device which includes atleast one processor and at least one memory or storage device. Indifferent such embodiments, the central server is a progressivecontroller or a processor of one of the gaming devices in the gamingsystem. In these embodiments, the processor of each gaming device isdesigned to transmit and receive events, messages, commands, or anyother suitable data or signal between the individual gaming device andthe central server. The gaming device processor is operable to executesuch communicated events, messages, or commands in conjunction with theoperation of the gaming device. Moreover, the processor of the centralserver is designed to transmit and receive events, messages, commands,or any other suitable data or signal between the central server and eachof the individual gaming devices. The central server processor isoperable to execute such communicated events, messages, or commands inconjunction with the operation of the central server. It should beappreciated that one, more or each of the functions of the centralcontroller, central server or remote host as disclosed herein may beperformed by one or more gaming device processors. It should be furtherappreciated that one, more or each of the functions of one or moregaming device processors as disclosed herein may be performed by thecentral controller, central server or remote host.

In one embodiment, the game outcome provided to the player is determinedby a central server or controller and provided to the player at thegaming device. In this embodiment, each of a plurality of such gamingdevices are in communication with the central server or controller. Upona player initiating game play at one of the gaming devices, theinitiated gaming device communicates a game outcome request to thecentral server or controller.

In one embodiment, the central server or controller receives the gameoutcome request and randomly generates a game outcome for the primarygame based on probability data. In another embodiment, the centralserver or controller randomly generates a game outcome for the secondarygame based on probability data. In another embodiment, the centralserver or controller randomly generates a game outcome for both theprimary game and the secondary game based on probability data. In thisembodiment, the central server or controller is capable of storing andutilizing program code or other data similar to the processor and memorydevice of the gaming device.

In an alternative embodiment, the central server or controller maintainsone or more predetermined pools or sets of predetermined game outcomes.In this embodiment, the central server or controller receives the gameoutcome request and independently selects a predetermined game outcomefrom a set or pool of game outcomes. The central server or controllerflags or marks the selected game outcome as used. Once a game outcome isflagged as used, it is prevented from further selection from the set orpool and cannot be selected by the central controller or server uponanother wager. The provided game outcome can include a primary gameoutcome, a secondary game outcome, primary and secondary game outcomes,or a series of game outcomes such as free games.

The central server or controller communicates the generated or selectedgame outcome to the initiated gaming device. The gaming device receivesthe generated or selected game outcome and provides the game outcome tothe player. In an alternative embodiment, how the generated or selectedgame outcome is to be presented or displayed to the player, such as areel symbol combination of a slot machine or a hand of cards dealt in acard game, is also determined by the central server or controller andcommunicated to the initiated gaming device to be presented or displayedto the player. Central production or control can assist a gamingestablishment or other entity in maintaining appropriate records,controlling gaming, reducing and preventing cheating or electronic orother errors, reducing or eliminating win-loss volatility, and the like.

In one embodiment, the gaming system disclosed herein utilizes both thefirst award (if any) and the second award (if any) in a class II gamingenvironment. That is, the gaming system determines such awards in thebingo-type game disclosed herein and displays such determined awards asthe results of a slot game.

In another embodiment, a predetermined game outcome value is determinedfor each of a plurality of linked or networked gaming devices based onthe results of a bingo, keno, or lottery game. In this embodiment, eachindividual gaming device utilizes one or more bingo, keno, or lotterygames to determine the predetermined game outcome value provided to theplayer for the interactive game played at that gaming device. In oneembodiment, the bingo, keno, or lottery game is displayed to the player.In another embodiment, the bingo, keno or lottery game is not displayedto the player, but the results of the bingo, keno, or lottery gamedetermine the predetermined game outcome value for the primary orsecondary game.

In the various bingo embodiments, as each gaming device is enrolled inthe bingo game, such as upon an appropriate wager or engaging an inputdevice, the enrolled gaming device is provided or associated with adifferent bingo card. Each bingo card consists of a matrix or array ofelements, wherein each element is designated with a separate indicia,such as a number. It should be appreciated that each different bingocard includes a different combination of elements. For example, if fourbingo cards are provided to four enrolled gaming devices, the sameelement may be present on all four of the bingo cards while anotherelement may solely be present on one of the bingo cards.

In operation of these embodiments, upon providing or associating adifferent bingo card with each of a plurality of enrolled gamingdevices, the central controller randomly selects or draws, one at atime, a plurality of the elements. As each element is selected, adetermination is made for each gaming device as to whether the selectedelement is present on the bingo card provided to that enrolled gamingdevice. This determination can be made by the central controller, thegaming device, a combination of the two, or in any other suitablemanner. If the selected element is present on the bingo card provided tothat enrolled gaming device, that selected element on the provided bingocard is marked or flagged. This process of selecting elements andmarking any selected elements on the provided bingo cards continuesuntil one or more predetermined patterns are marked on one or more ofthe provided bingo cards. It should be appreciated that in oneembodiment, the gaming device requires the player to engage a daubbutton (not shown) to initiate the process of the gaming device markingor flagging any selected elements.

After one or more predetermined patterns are marked on one or more ofthe provided bingo cards, a game outcome is determined for each of theenrolled gaming devices based, at least in part, on the selectedelements on the provided bingo cards. As described above, the gameoutcome determined for each gaming device enrolled in the bingo game isutilized by that gaming device to determine the predetermined gameoutcome provided to the player. For example, a first gaming device tohave selected elements marked in a predetermined pattern is provided afirst outcome of win $10 which will be provided to a first playerregardless of how the first player plays in a first game, and a secondgaming device to have selected elements marked in a differentpredetermined pattern is provided a second outcome of win $2 which willbe provided to a second player regardless of how the second player playsa second game. It should be appreciated that as the process of markingselected elements continues until one or more predetermined patterns aremarked, this embodiment ensures that at least one bingo card will winthe bingo game and thus at least one enrolled gaming device will providea predetermined winning game outcome to a player. It should beappreciated that other suitable methods for selecting or determining oneor more predetermined game outcomes may be employed.

In one example of the above-described embodiment, the predetermined gameoutcome may be based on a supplemental award in addition to any awardprovided for winning the bingo game as described above. In thisembodiment, if one or more elements are marked in supplemental patternswithin a designated number of drawn elements, a supplemental orintermittent award or value associated with the marked supplementalpattern is provided to the player as part of the predetermined gameoutcome. For example, if the four corners of a bingo card are markedwithin the first twenty selected elements, a supplemental award of $10is provided to the player as part of the predetermined game outcome. Itshould be appreciated that in this embodiment, the player of a gamingdevice may be provided a supplemental or intermittent award regardlessof whether the enrolled gaming device's provided bingo card wins or doesnot win the bingo game as described above.

In another embodiment, one or more of the gaming devices are incommunication with a central server or controller for monitoringpurposes only. That is, each individual gaming device randomly generatesthe game outcomes to be provided to the player and the central server orcontroller monitors the activities and events occurring on the pluralityof gaming devices. In one embodiment, the gaming network includes areal-time or on-line accounting and gaming information system operablycoupled to the central server or controller. The accounting and gaminginformation system of this embodiment includes a player database forstoring player profiles, a player tracking module for tracking playersand a credit system for providing automated casino transactions.

In one embodiment, the gaming device disclosed herein is associated withor otherwise integrated with one or more player tracking systems. Playertracking systems enable gaming establishments to recognize the value ofcustomer loyalty through identifying frequent customers and rewardingthem for their patronage. In one embodiment, the gaming device and/orplayer tracking system tracks any player's gaming activity at the gamingdevice. In one such embodiment, the gaming device includes at least onecard reader 38 in communication with the processor. In this embodiment,a player is issued a player identification card which has an encodedplayer identification number that uniquely identifies the player. When aplayer inserts their playing tracking card into the card reader to begina gaming session, the card reader reads the player identification numberoff the player tracking card to identify the player. The gaming deviceand/or associated player tracking system timely tracks any suitableinformation or data relating to the identified player's gaming session.Directly or via the central controller, the gaming device processorcommunicates such information to the player tracking system. The gamingdevice and/or associated player tracking system also timely tracks whena player removes their player tracking card when concluding play forthat gaming session. In another embodiment, rather than requiring aplayer to insert a player tracking card, the gaming device utilizes oneor more portable devices carried by a player, such as a cell phone, aradio frequency identification tag or any other suitable wireless deviceto track when a player begins and ends a gaming session. In anotherembodiment, the gaming device utilizes any suitable biometric technologyor ticket technology to track when a player begins and ends a gamingsession.

During one or more gaming sessions, the gaming device and/or playertracking system tracks any suitable information or data, such as anyamounts wagered, average wager amounts, and/or the time at which thesewagers are placed. In different embodiments, for one or more players,the player tracking system includes the player's account number, theplayer's card number, the player's first name, the player's surname, theplayer's preferred name, the player's player tracking ranking, anypromotion status associated with the player's player tracking card, theplayer's address, the player's birthday, the player's anniversary, theplayer's recent gaming sessions, or any other suitable data. In oneembodiment, such tracked information and/or any suitable featureassociated with the player tracking system is displayed on a playertracking display 40. In another embodiment, such tracked informationand/or any suitable feature associated with the player tracking systemis displayed via one or more service windows (not shown) which aredisplayed on the central display device and/or the upper display device.

In one embodiment, a plurality of the gaming devices are capable ofbeing connected together through a data network. In one embodiment, thedata network is a local area network (LAN), in which one or more of thegaming devices are substantially proximate to each other and an on-sitecentral server or controller as in, for example, a gaming establishmentor a portion of a gaming establishment. In another embodiment, the datanetwork is a wide area network (WAN) in which one or more of the gamingdevices are in communication with at least one off-site central serveror controller. In this embodiment, the plurality of gaming devices maybe located in a different part of the gaming establishment or within adifferent gaming establishment than the off-site central server orcontroller. Thus, the WAN may include an off-site central server orcontroller and an off-site gaming device located within gamingestablishments in the same geographic area, such as a city or state. TheWAN gaming system may be substantially identical to the LAN gamingsystem described above, although the number of gaming devices in eachsystem may vary relative to one another.

In another embodiment, the data network is an internet or intranet. Inthis embodiment, the operation of the gaming device can be viewed at thegaming device with at least one internet browser. In this embodiment,operation of the gaming device and accumulation of credits may beaccomplished with only a connection to the central server or controller(the internet/intranet server) through a conventional phone or otherdata transmission line, digital subscriber line (DSL), T-1 line, coaxialcable, fiber optic cable, or other suitable connection. In thisembodiment, players may access an internet game page from any locationwhere an internet connection and computer or other internet facilitatoris available. The expansion in the number of computers and number andspeed of internet connections in recent years increases opportunitiesfor players to play from an ever-increasing number of remote sites. Itshould be appreciated that the enhanced bandwidth of digital wirelesscommunications may render such technology suitable for some or allcommunications, particularly if such communications are encrypted.Higher data transmission speeds may be useful for enhancing thesophistication and response of the display and interaction with theplayer.

As mentioned above, in one embodiment, the present disclosure may beemployed in a server-based gaming system. In one such embodiment, asdescribed above, one or more gaming devices are in communication with acentral server or controller. The central server or controller may beany suitable server or computing device which includes at least oneprocessor and a memory or storage device. In alternative embodiments,the central server is a progressive controller or another gaming machinein the gaming system. In one embodiment, the memory device of thecentral server stores different game programs and instructions,executable by a gaming device processor, to control the gaming device.Each executable game program represents a different game or type of gamewhich may be played on one or more of the gaming devices in the gamingsystem. Such different games may include the same or substantially thesame game play with different pay tables. In different embodiments, theexecutable game program is for a primary game, a secondary game or both.In another embodiment, the game program may be executable as a secondarygame to be played simultaneous with the play of a primary game (whichmay be downloaded to or fixed on the gaming device) or vice versa.

In this embodiment, each gaming device at least includes one or moredisplay devices and/or one or more input devices for interaction with aplayer. A local processor, such as the above-described gaming deviceprocessor or a processor of a local server, is operable with the displaydevice(s) and/or the input device(s) of one or more of the gamingdevices.

In operation, the central controller is operable to communicate one ormore of the stored game programs to at least one local processor. Indifferent embodiments, the stored game programs are communicated ordelivered by embedding the communicated game program in a device or acomponent (e.g., a microchip to be inserted in a gaming device), writingthe game program on a disc or other media, or downloading or streamingthe game program over a dedicated data network, internet, or a telephoneline. After the stored game programs are communicated from the centralserver, the local processor executes the communicated program tofacilitate play of the communicated program by a player through thedisplay device(s) and/or input device(s) of the gaming device. That is,when a game program is communicated to a local processor, the localprocessor changes the game or type of game played at the gaming device.

In another embodiment, a plurality of gaming devices at one or moregaming sites may be networked to the central server in a progressiveconfiguration, as known in the art, wherein a portion of each wager toinitiate a base or primary game may be allocated to one or moreprogressive awards. In one embodiment, a progressive gaming system hostsite computer is coupled to a plurality of the central servers at avariety of mutually remote gaming sites for providing a multi-sitelinked progressive automated gaming system. In one embodiment, aprogressive gaming system host site computer may serve gaming devicesdistributed throughout a number of properties at different geographicallocations including, for example, different locations within a city ordifferent cities within a state.

In one embodiment, the progressive gaming system host site computer ismaintained for the overall operation and control of the progressivegaming system. In this embodiment, a progressive gaming system host sitecomputer oversees the entire progressive gaming system and is the masterfor computing all progressive jackpots. All participating gaming sitesreport to, and receive information from, the progressive gaming systemhost site computer. Each central server computer is responsible for alldata communication between the gaming device hardware and software andthe progressive gaming system host site computer. In one embodiment, anindividual gaming machine may trigger a progressive award win. Inanother embodiment, a central server (or the progressive gaming systemhost site computer) determines when a progressive award win istriggered. In another embodiment, an individual gaming machine and acentral controller (or progressive gaming system host site computer)work in conjunction with each other to determine when a progressive winis triggered, for example through an individual gaming machine meeting apredetermined requirement established by the central controller.

In one embodiment, a progressive award win is triggered based on one ormore game play events, such as a symbol-driven trigger. In otherembodiments, the progressive award triggering event or qualifyingcondition may be achieved by exceeding a certain amount of game play(such as number of games, number of credits, or amount of time), orreaching a specified number of points earned during game play. Inanother embodiment, a gaming device is randomly or apparently randomlyselected to provide a player of that gaming device one or moreprogressive awards. In one such embodiment, the gaming device does notprovide any apparent reasons to the player for winning a progressiveaward, wherein winning the progressive award is not triggered by anevent in or based specifically on any of the plays of any primary game.That is, a player is provided a progressive award without anyexplanation or alternatively with simple explanations. In anotherembodiment, a player is provided a progressive award at least partiallybased on a game triggered or symbol triggered event, such as at leastpartially based on the play of a primary game.

In one embodiment, one or more of the progressive awards are each fundedvia a side bet or side wager. In this embodiment, a player must place orwager a side bet to be eligible to win the progressive award associatedwith the side bet. In one embodiment, the player must place the maximumbet and the side bet to be eligible to win one of the progressiveawards. In another embodiment, if the player places or wagers therequired side bet, the player may wager at any credit amount during theprimary game (i.e., the player need not place the maximum bet and theside bet to be eligible to win one of the progressive awards). In onesuch embodiment, the greater the player's wager (in addition to theplaced side bet), the greater the odds or probability that the playerwill win one of the progressive awards. It should be appreciated thatone or more of the progressive awards may each be funded, at least inpart, based on the wagers placed on the primary games of the gamingmachines in the gaming system, via a gaming establishment or via anysuitable manner.

In another embodiment, one or more of the progressive awards arepartially funded via a side-bet or side-wager which the player may make(and which may be tracked via a side-bet meter). In one embodiment, oneor more of the progressive awards are funded with only side-bets orside-wagers placed. In another embodiment, one or more of theprogressive awards are funded based on player's wagers as describedabove as well as any side-bets or side-wagers placed.

In one alternative embodiment, a minimum wager level is required for agaming device to qualify to be selected to obtain one of the progressiveawards. In one embodiment, this minimum wager level is the maximum wagerlevel for the primary game in the gaming machine. In another embodiment,no minimum wager level is required for a gaming machine to qualify to beselected to obtain one of the progressive awards.

In another embodiment, a plurality of players at a plurality of linkedgaming devices in a gaming system participate in a group gamingenvironment. In one embodiment, a plurality of players at a plurality oflinked gaming devices work in conjunction with one another, such as byplaying together as a team or group, to win one or more awards. In onesuch embodiment, any award won by the group is shared, either equally orbased on any suitable criteria, amongst the different players of thegroup. In another embodiment, a plurality of players at a plurality oflinked gaming devices compete against one another for one or moreawards. In one such embodiment, a plurality of players at a plurality oflinked gaming devices participate in a gaming tournament for one or moreawards. In another embodiment, a plurality of players at a plurality oflinked gaming devices play for one or more awards wherein an outcomegenerated by one gaming device affects the outcomes generated by one ormore linked gaming devices.

Game Having First Evaluation Based on Symbols Drawn from a Symbol Pooland Second Evaluation Based on Order of Symbols Drawn

In one embodiment, the gaming system disclosed herein generates anddisplays a plurality of symbols in a plurality of symbol positions priorto a play of the game. In this embodiment, for the play of the game, thegaming system randomly selects a sequence of symbols from a symbol poolsuch that the sequence of symbols does not include any repeated symbols.In one embodiment, the gaming system provides a first award (if any)based on a combination of symbols displayed in the plurality of symbolpositions which match one of the symbols of the selected sequence ofsymbols and provides a second award (if any) based on a combination ofsymbols determined by the order in which the selected sequence ofsymbols was selected from the symbol pool. In one embodiment, thesequence of symbols includes a designated number of symbols for the playof the game. In another embodiment, the gaming system continuesselecting symbols for the sequence until either or both of the firstaward and the second award is provided to a player of the gaming system.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of an example embodiment of a process100 for operating a gaming system providing the game disclosed herein.Although the example process 100 for operating the gaming system forproviding the disclosed game is described with reference to the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 3, many other methods of operating a gamingsystem are contemplated. For example, the order of certain of the blocksmay be changed, and certain of the blocks described are optional.

The disclosed gaming system enables a player to wager on a play of agame, as indicated by block 102. For the wager on the play of the game,the gaming system in one embodiment displays a plurality of matrices ofsymbol positions, as indicated by block 104. In one such embodiment, thegaming system displays four matrices of symbol positions arranged asbingo cards. It should be appreciated that in various embodiments, theplurality of symbol positions are alternatively grouped as sets,collections, or other appropriate groupings of symbol positions.

As further indicated by block 104, the gaming system also displays anadditional or separate selected symbol accumulation area. In oneembodiment, the separate selected symbol accumulation area is displayedas an initially empty matrix of symbol positions in which selectedsymbols can be displayed. In this embodiment, the quantity of emptysymbols in the separate selected symbol accumulation area is equal tothe quantity of symbols to be selected for the play of the game, asdiscussed below. In one embodiment, the gaming system displays theseparate selected symbol accumulation area as a drawn numeral area of abingo game.

In one embodiment, the gaming system generates and displays a pluralityof symbols in each of the symbol positions of the matrices of symbolpositions, as indicated by block 106. In one embodiment, the gamingsystem selects the symbols for populating the matrices of symbolpositions from a symbol pool. In one such embodiment, the gaming systemselects the symbols to display in the matrices of symbol positions suchthat each symbol is displayed once. In a further embodiment, thequantity of symbols in the symbol pool is equal to the quantity ofsymbol positions in the matrices of symbol positions. In thisembodiment, each symbol from the symbol pool is displayed in one symbolposition of one of the matrices.

In one embodiment, wherein the matrices of symbol positions aredisplayed as a plurality of bingo cards, the gaming system selectssymbols for each of the symbol positions of each of the matrices basedon a range of numerals associated with each column of each matrix. Forexample, the first column of a five column matrix of symbol positionsmay be associated with a first set of numerals. In this embodiment, thegaming system populates the symbol positions of the bingo cards withnumerals within the range of numerals associated with each column.

In one embodiment, the gaming system begins the play of the game byrandomly selecting a symbol from the symbol pool, as indicated by block108. For each selected symbol for the play of the game, the gamingsystem indicates any symbol position of any of the matrices of symbolpositions which displays a symbol matching the selected symbol, asindicated by block 110. In one embodiment, the gaming system alsodisplays each selected symbol in the selected symbol accumulation areabased on the order in which the symbol was drawn, as indicated by block112. In an example embodiment, the gaming system displays the selectedsymbols in the order selected by beginning in one corner of the selectedsymbol accumulation area and displaying one of the selected symbols ineach position of a first of a plurality of columns of the selectedsymbol accumulation area prior to displaying any selected symbol in asecond column. As further indicated by block 112, the gaming system alsoremoves each selected symbol from the symbol pool such that subsequentselections of symbols do not result in duplicate selections. In anotherembodiment, the gaming system does not remove selected symbols from thesymbol pool; in this embodiment, the gaming system flags or otherwisestores an indication that the selected symbols have been selected, suchthat the symbols are not re-selected in the respective play of the game.

In one embodiment, the gaming system selects the plurality of symbols ina sequence representing a plurality of drawn symbols of a bingo game. Inone such embodiment, the gaming system displays a representation thatone of the numerals was drawn from a hopper of numerals, displays arepresentation of marking one of the squares of one of the bingo cards,and displays a representation of placing the drawn symbol in a callerarea such as the caller area used to hold drawn numerals in a standardbingo game. It should be appreciated that in this embodiment, eachsymbol displayed in the caller area represents a symbol which may not bere-drawn.

If any empty symbol positions remain in the selected symbol accumulationarea, as indicated by block 114, the gaming system repeats the selectionand display as noted above. In one embodiment, the gaming systemcontinues drawing bingo numerals until each of the positions in thecaller area contains a drawn numeral. It should be appreciated that invarious embodiments, the standard rules of bingo may or may not befollowed (i.e., symbols may be drawn regardless of whether a winningcombination of marked squares is displayed for one of the bingo cards).In one embodiment, the gaming system continues drawing bingo numeralsuntil a designated quantity of numerals have been drawn. In anotherembodiment, the gaming system continues drawing bingo numerals until awinning symbol combination of matched symbols is displayed for one ofthe bingo cards.

In one embodiment, if displaying one of the selected symbols in theselected symbol accumulation area results in no empty positions in theselected symbol accumulation area, as indicated by block 114, the gamingsystem determines whether to provide a first award to the player for theplay of the game, the first award being based on any winningcombinations of matched symbols displayed in the matrices of symbolpositions, as indicated by block 116. In one such embodiment, the gamingsystem determines such a first award based on a spatial arrangement ofsymbols in the matrices which are indicated to have been matched by oneof the selected symbols. For example, the gaming system may provide anaward based on a shape or spatial arrangement of indicated matchedsymbols in one of the matrices, such as a line, an “X” shape, a “V”shape, or four corners of the matrix.

In one embodiment, wherein each of the matrices of symbols is displayedas a bingo card, the gaming system provides the first award based onspatial arrangements of marked bingo squares which would result in astandard bingo award. For example, the gaming system may provide anaward for a horizontal or vertical line of marked squares, a bingo cardwherein each corner is marked, or a bingo card wherein a diagonal lineof squares are marked, or a bingo card where any other suitablearrangement of squares are marked. It should be appreciated that such afirst award may be characterized as a bingo award and may be provided asfor a standard bingo game.

In one embodiment, the gaming system also provides one or more secondawards based on any winning symbol combinations displayed in theselected symbol accumulation area, as indicated by block 118. In oneembodiment, the gaming system determines such a second award based on aspatial arrangement of symbols in the secondary symbol display area. Infurther embodiments, the second award may or may not be based on anassociation or relationship between the spatially arranged symbols ofthe secondary display area.

It should be appreciated that the second award (if any) provided by thegaming system does not correspond to a standard bingo award.Specifically, the second award in one embodiment is provided independentof any marked, matched symbols of the plurality of bingo cards. Rather,the second award in this embodiment is based on the order in which aplurality of symbols are displayed in the selected symbol accumulationarea—an area for which awards are not typically provided in a standardbingo game.

It should be appreciated that in one embodiment the first award providedfor a play of the game of the disclosed gaming system is based onwinning symbol combinations determined independent of an order in whichthe sequence of symbols is drawn from the symbol pool. It should also beappreciated that in one embodiment the second award provided for a playof the game of the disclosed gaming system is based on winning symbolcombinations determined dependent on the order in which the sequence ofsymbols is drawn from the symbol pool. It should be further appreciatedthat the sequence of symbols is drawn from a symbol pool the contents ofwhich decreases for the play of the game—that is, as each symbol isselected from the symbol pool, the symbol is removed from the pool suchthat the size of the symbol pool shrinks during a play of the game.

FIGS. 4A to 4D illustrate a play of the game disclosed herein accordingto the process 100 of FIG. 3. In the embodiment described below withrespect to FIGS. 4A to 4D, the gaming system displays four matrices ofsymbol positions. Moreover, in the illustrated embodiment, each of thesymbols of the symbol pool stored by the gaming system is a numeral inthe range from one to sixty. It should be appreciated that in variousembodiments, the symbols of the symbol pool are non-numerical, such asletters, pictures, or other suitable indicia.

FIG. 4A illustrates a front elevation view of one embodiment of adisplay device 16 of a gaming system as disclosed herein. In theillustrated embodiment, the gaming system displays four symbol matricesincluding symbol matrix 1 200 a, symbol matrix 2 200 b, symbol matrix 3200 c, and symbol matrix 4 200 d. Each of the symbol matrices in theillustrated embodiment includes fifteen symbol positions 202 arranged inthree rows of five columns each. In the illustrated embodiment, none ofthe symbol matrices are associated with a range of symbols.

The gaming system of the illustrated embodiment also displays a separateselected symbol accumulation area 210. In the illustrated embodiment,the separate selected symbol accumulation area 210 includes twenty eightaccumulation positions 212, arranged as seven rows of four columns each.In the illustrated embodiment, the gaming system also displays two bonussymbol accumulation areas 214 a and 214 b. It should be appreciated thatthese bonus symbol accumulation areas 214 a and 214 b representopportunities to win additional awards for a play of the game.

In one embodiment, the gaming system includes population indicators 220a and 220 b for indicating to a player of the gaming system the schemethe gaming system will use to fill or populate the selected symbolaccumulation area as symbols are drawn from a symbol pool. In theillustrated embodiment, the population indicators 220 a and 220 b arelabeled as the first population indicator 220 a and the secondpopulation indicator 220 b. Thus, the population indicators 220 a and220 b of the illustrated embodiment indicate that the gaming system willfirst fill the columns of the selected symbol accumulation area 210 (asindicated by first population indicator 220 a). Second populationindicator 220 b indicates that the first column to be populated orfilled will be the right-most column of the selected symbol accumulationarea 210, and that as columns are populated or filled, new columns willbe populated or filled from right to left. It should be appreciated thatin various embodiments the population indicators 220 a and 220 bindicate that the columns are filled from the top to the bottom, or thata first row is populated or filled prior to a second row being populatedor filled.

It should be appreciated that FIG. 4A illustrates the gaming system asdisclosed herein prior to beginning a play of the game. Thus, none ofthe symbol positions or accumulation positions have a symbol displayedtherein. In the illustrated embodiment, the gaming system also stores asymbol pool including sixty symbols, each of the symbols being one ofthe numerals between one and sixty. In various embodiments, prior to aplay of the game as disclosed herein or at the beginning of the play ofthe game, the gaming system generates one of the symbols from the symbolpool for each symbol position 202 of each of the plurality of symbolmatrices 200 a, 200 b, 200 c, and 200 d.

FIG. 4B illustrates the display of the game disclosed herein at a pointmidway through the generation and display of the plurality of symbolsdescribed above. As illustrated in FIG. 4B and as discussed above, priorto the play of the game, the gaming system generated a plurality ofsymbols from the symbol pool and displayed each generated symbol in oneof the symbol positions of one of the four symbol matrices 200 a, 200 b,200 c, and 200 d. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, each of thenumerals from one to sixty is displayed in one of the symbol positionsof one of the symbol matrices. It should be appreciated that in theillustrated embodiment, none of the symbols of the symbol matrices 200a, 200 b, 200 c, or 200 d are duplicated. That is, because there arefour matrices of fifteen symbol positions each, the gaming systemdisplays each of the numerals from one to sixty in exactly one symbolposition of exactly one symbol matrix.

It should be appreciated that in various embodiments, one or more of thesymbols of the symbol pool is displayed in fewer than one or in greaterthan one symbol position displayed by the disclosed gaming system.Moreover, in the illustrated embodiment, the gaming system generated thesymbols from the symbol pool for display in the plurality of symbolpositions. In another embodiment, the gaming system enables the playerto select the symbol position of one or more of the symbols from thesymbol pool for a play of the game.

Referring again to FIG. 4B, after generating the plurality of symbolsfor each of the plurality of symbol positions, the gaming system in oneembodiment begins the play of the game by selecting a first symbol fromthe symbol pool for display in the selected symbol accumulation area210. In the illustrated embodiment, the first symbol selected by thegaming system was the fifty-two symbol 216. The gaming system in theillustrated embodiment displays the fifty-two symbol 216 in thelower-right accumulation position of the separate selected symbolaccumulation area 210. Moreover, the gaming system determines that thefifty-two symbol 216 selected from the symbol pool matches the generatedfifty-two symbol 206 displayed in symbol matrix 2 200 b. The gamingsystem in the illustrated embodiment indicates such a match bysuperimposing an “X” symbol over the fifty-two symbol 206 in theappropriate symbol position so symbol matrix 2 200 b. Finally, thegaming system removes the fifty-two symbol from the symbol pool (notshown) such that future selections cannot result in a duplicateselection of the fifty-two symbol.

As illustrated by FIG. 4B, the gaming system serially selects aplurality of symbols from the symbol pool, repeating the steps describedabove with respect to the fifty-two symbol. It should be appreciatedthat the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4B indicates that the gamingsystem has serially selected and displayed eleven symbols from thesymbol pool, with the most recently selected symbol being thetwenty-eight symbol. In the illustrated embodiment, for each symbolselected from the symbol pool, the gaming system determines whether theselected symbol matches one of the symbols of one of the symbolpositions of one of the symbol matrices. If the selected symbol matchesthe symbol in one of the symbol positions, the gaming system indicatesthe match by displaying an “X” superimposed over the symbol in thesymbol position. Moreover, the gaming system displays each selectedsymbol in the selected symbol accumulation area 210 according to theorder indicated by the population indicators 220 a and 220 b. Thus, inthe illustrated embodiment, the gaming system displays each selectedsymbol in the accumulation positions beginning in the bottomaccumulation position of the right-most column, filling the accumulationpositions of that column, and beginning again at the bottom of the nextcolumn from right-to-left.

As illustrated in FIG. 4B, the gaming system in one embodiment displaysa status display area 230 on the display device 16. The status displayarea 230 displays messages about the status of the play of the game,such as about the status of the generation or selection of symbols. Asillustrated, the status display area 230 of FIG. 4B indicates that thegaming system is playing the game by generating symbols and marking anymatches that occur.

FIG. 4C illustrates one embodiment of the disclosed gaming system afterselecting symbols from the symbol pool for the illustrated play of thegame and after marking matches that occur for the generated symbols. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the gaming system has selected all twentyeight symbols to fill the accumulation positions of the selected symbolaccumulation area 210. It should be appreciated that for the play of thegame illustrated, the gaming system has not selected a symbol for eitherof bonus symbol accumulation positions 214 a or 214 b.

For each of the selected symbols, the gaming system has also indicatedany matches for any of the symbol matrices 200 a, 200 b, 200 c, or 200 dby superimposing an “X” symbol on the appropriate symbol position of theappropriate symbol matrix. It should be appreciated that in theillustrated embodiment, the symbol pool stored by the gaming system atthe point in time illustrated by FIG. 4C includes only thirty-twosymbols. That is, the symbol pool includes the symbols that remain ofthe initial sixty symbols after removing the twenty-eight symbolsdisplayed in the selected symbol accumulation area.

After the gaming system disclosed herein has selected the plurality ofsymbols to populate the accumulation positions, the gaming systemanalyzes the selected symbols and the matched symbols to determinewhether to provide any award. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 4C,the gaming system determines whether to provide a first award and/or asecond award to the player of the gaming system based on the pluralityof matched symbols and based on the plurality of symbols of the selectedsymbol accumulation area.

In one embodiment, the gaming system provides the player a first award(if any) for a play of the game based on any winning combinations ofindicated matched symbols displayed in any of the symbol matrices 200 a,200 b, 200 c, or 200 d. In one embodiment, the gaming system determineswhether such a winning symbol combination is displayed based on aspatial relationship between the plurality of indicated matched symbolsof any of the plurality of symbol matrices. In the illustratedembodiment, the gaming system provides a first award if the indicatedmatched symbols of any of the symbol matrices 200 a, 200 b, 200 c, or200 d form a combination of spatially related symbols including ahorizontal line of five indicated symbols, a “V” symbol including fiveindicated symbols, or an inverted “V” symbol including five indicatedsymbols.

In one embodiment, the gaming system provides the player a second award(if any) for a play of the game based on any winning combinations ofsymbols displayed in the selected symbol accumulation area 210. In oneembodiment, the gaming system determines whether such a winning symbolcombination is displayed based on both a spatial relationship betweenthe plurality of selected symbols in the accumulation positions andbased on a relationship of the symbols which are in the spatialrelationship. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4C, the gamingsystem provides the second award if four symbols are displayed in thesame row of the selected symbol accumulation area 210 and if those foursymbols are arranged in sequentially increasing order from left toright. It should be appreciated that in different embodiments, thedisclosed gaming system provides a second award based on winning symbolcombinations which are displayed as horizontal lines, vertical lines,diagonal lines, or any other suitable pattern, shape, or spatialarrangement in the selected symbol accumulation area. It should befurther appreciated that such a second award is still based on thesymbols contained within the winning symbol combination.

For the play of the game illustrated in FIG. 4C, the gaming systemprovides the player with both a first award and a second award. Thegaming system provides a first award for the winning symbol combinations250 a and 250 b of symbol matrices 200 a and 200 d, respectively.Specifically, winning symbol combinations 250 a and 250 b each includefive indicated symbols which are arranged in a horizontal line.Moreover, the gaming system provides a second award for the winningsymbol combination 260 of the selected symbol accumulation area.Specifically, the winning symbol combination 260 includes four symbols(i.e., a sixteen symbol, a seventeen symbol, an eighteen symbol, and anineteen symbol) arranged in sequential order in the same row of theselected symbol accumulation area 210. The gaming system indicates eachof the winning symbol combinations (i.e., for both the first award andthe second award) by appropriately highlighting the displayedcombination of symbols 250 a, 250 b, and 260.

The status display area 230 of the display 16 of the gaming systemdisplays a message indicating that the player received an award forgenerating winning symbol combinations 250 a and 250 b in symbolmatrices 1 and 4 (i.e., 200 a and 200 d). Moreover, the status displayarea 230 of the display area 16 displays a message indicating that theplayer received an award for generating winning symbol combination 260in the selected symbol accumulation area.

In one embodiment, the gaming system selects one or more bonus symbolsfrom the symbol pool if the gaming system determines that the generatedsymbols result in the second award. In this embodiment, for each bonussymbol selected, the gaming system determines whether the selected bonussymbol matches any of the symbols displayed in the symbol positions ofthe symbol matrices. If so, the gaming system indicates such a match anddisplays the bonus symbol in one of the bonus symbol display areas 214 aor 214 b of the selected symbol accumulation area 210. The gaming systemthen determines whether the additionally indicated matched symbolsresult in additional winning symbol combinations for any of the symbolmatrices 200 a, 200 b, 200 c, or 200 d. If additional winning symbolcombinations are generated, the gaming system in one embodiment providesan additional award to the player based on the newly-generated winningsymbol combinations.

Referring again to FIG. 4C, the gaming system in the illustratedembodiments determines that the generated symbols result in a secondaward, as indicated in the status display area 230. Thus, the gamingsystem determines that two bonus symbols will be generated for displayin the bonus symbol display areas 214 a and 214 b. The gaming systemindicates this determination in the status display area 230.

FIG. 4D illustrates the play of the game of the disclosed gaming systemafter the selection of the two additional bonus symbols. Specifically,the bonus system selects and displays two bonus symbols 262 a and 262 bin bonus symbol display areas 214 a and 214 b, respectively. In theillustrated embodiment, the additional symbols are a thirty-eight symbol262 a and a five symbol 262 b. The gaming system determines that thebonus thirty-eight symbol 262 a matches a thirty-eight symbol 270 adisplayed in symbol matrix 4 220 d. The gaming system indicates thismatch by superimposing an “X” symbol on the thirty-eight symbol 270 adisplayed in the symbol matrix 220 d. Similarly, the gaming systemdetermines that the bonus five symbol 262 b matches a five symbol 270 bdisplayed in symbol matrix 4 220 d, and superimposes an “X” symbol onthe five symbol 270 b.

After determining and indicating these additional matches, the gamingsystem analyzes the indicated matched symbols to determine whether anyadditional winning symbol combinations have been generated. In theillustrated embodiment, the gaming system determines that an additionalwinning symbol combination 280 has been generated for the matchedsymbols 270 a and 270 b which were matched by bonus symbols 262 a and262 b. Specifically, the additional winning symbol combination 280includes five symbols arranged in a “V” shape in symbol matrix 4 220 d.The gaming system therefore provides an additional award based on thenewly generated winning symbol combination 280.

The gaming system indicates the newly determined winning symbolcombination in the status display area 230. In the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 4D, since no more bonus symbols may be generated,the play of the game ends and the gaming system provides the player anappropriate award for the three winning symbol combinations 250 a, 250b, and 280 in the symbol matrices and the winning symbol combination 260in the selected symbol accumulation area 210.

It should thus be appreciated that for the gaming system disclosedherein and illustrated at FIGS. 4A to 4D, each additional selection of asymbol (including bonus symbols) represents both an additional chance towin a first award and an additional chance to win a second award. Itshould be further appreciated that for the disclosed gaming system, thefirst award is based on a random arrangement of symbols matched for aplurality of selections of symbols from a symbol pool irrespective of anorder in which the symbols were selected, and the second award is basedon the order in which those symbols were selected from the symbol pool.

Referring now to FIG. 5, at least one of the plurality of symbols of thesymbol pool in one embodiment includes at least one additionalcharacteristic in addition to the symbol displayed in the symbolposition of the symbol matrix during generation of the plurality ofsymbols for the plurality of symbol positions. In the illustratedembodiment, the symbols of the symbol pool are numerals which aredisplayable in the plurality of symbol matrices. In this embodiment, aplurality of the symbols 290 generated for the play of the game alsoincludes an associated shape such as a circle or a pentagon. In theillustrated embodiment, not all of the symbols of the symbol poolinclude such associated shapes. In one embodiment, each of the symbolsof the symbol pool includes such an associated shape. In anotherembodiment, none of the symbols of the symbol pool initially include anassociated shape; rather, the gaming system determines whether toassociate a shape with a symbol at the time the symbol is selected fromthe symbol pool for display in the selected symbol accumulation area210. In various embodiments, which symbols include associated shapes ispredetermined, randomly determined, determined based on the player'sstatus (such as determined through a player tracking system), determinedbased on a generated symbol or symbol combination, determined based on arandom determination by the central controller, determined based on arandom determination at the gaming system, determined based on one ormore side wagers placed, determined based on the player's primary gamewager, determined based on time (such as the time of day), determinedbased on an amount of coin-in accumulated in one or more pools ordetermined based on any other suitable method or criteria.

Referring still to FIG. 5, the gaming system of the illustratedembodiment provides the second award if a winning combination of foursymbols having the same associated shape is generated for the same rowof the separate selected symbol accumulation area 210. Thus, in theillustrated embodiment, the gaming system determines that winning symbolcombination 292 has been generated based on the four symbols of winningsymbol combination 292 which each includes an associated circle shape.In this embodiment, the gaming system provides the second award to theplayer based on the winning combination 292 including four symbols withthe same associated shape. The gaming system indicates the second awardby displaying an appropriate message in the status display area 230.

It should be appreciated that in the illustrated embodiment, the gamingsystem is not configured to generate any bonus symbols in the bonussymbol display areas 214 a or 214 b for a winning combination of symbols292 displayed in the selected symbol accumulation area. In variousembodiments (not shown), the gaming system generates one or more bonussymbols and makes one or more additional determinations whetheradditional winning symbol combinations have been generated in any of thesymbol matrices 200 a, 200 b, 200 c, or 200 d for the play of the game.It should be appreciated that in one embodiment, the bonus symbolsgenerated from the symbol pool include one or more associated shapes andmay be included in one or more winning symbol combinations of theselected symbol accumulation area.

In one embodiment, the gaming system disclosed herein is configured tosimultaneously display the play of the game to a plurality of players ata plurality of gaming devices. In one such embodiment, the gaming systemdisplays or provides a single bingo card of a plurality of bingo cardsto each of the plurality of players. In one embodiment, the selectedsymbol accumulation area represents an opportunity for any of theplayers of the gaming system to win an award for a play of the game. Itshould be appreciated that in this embodiment, one or more of the bingocards may include one or more of the same numbers as another bingo cardassociated with another player.

In one embodiment, for a play of the game wherein the gaming systemprovides a bingo card to each of the players, the gaming system selectsa plurality of symbols from a pool of symbols. For each selected symbol,the gaming system in this embodiment determines whether that selectedsymbol matches a symbol displayed in a symbol position of any of theplurality of bingo cards. In this embodiment, the gaming systemindicates such a match by displaying a mark on any appropriate bingocards. In one embodiment, the gaming system continues selecting symbolsfrom the pool of symbols until a winning symbol combination of markedsymbols is displayed on at least one of the bingo cards. When such awinning symbol combination is displayed, the gaming system provides thefirst award to the player whose card displays the winning symbolcombination.

In one embodiment, the gaming system continues selecting symbols untilat least one winning symbol combination is displayed on each bingo card.In various embodiments, the quantity of symbols selected and marked onthe bingo cards is predetermined, randomly determined, determined basedon the player's status (such as determined through a player trackingsystem), determined based on a generated symbol or symbol combination,determined based on a random determination by the central controller,determined based on a random determination at the gaming system,determined based on one or more side wagers placed, determined based onthe player's primary game wager, determined based on time (such as thetime of day), determined based on an amount of coin-in accumulated inone or more pools or determined based on any other suitable method orcriteria. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides a single playerwith more than one bingo card. In one such embodiment, the gaming systemcontinues to select symbols until at least one winning symbolcombination is displayed on at least one bingo card of each player. Inanother such embodiment, the gaming system continues selecting symbolsuntil at least one winning symbol combination is displayed on at leastone bingo card, as discussed above.

In one embodiment, for each selected symbol, the gaming system alsodisplays the symbol in the selected symbol accumulation area in theorder in which the symbol was selected. For example, the gaming systemfills the matrix representing the selected symbol accumulation area byfilling each column from bottom to top, and by filling the columns fromleft to right as the symbols are selected, as discussed herein.

In one embodiment, the gaming system provides a second award to one ormore of the players if a winning symbol combination is displayed in theselected symbol accumulation area for a play of the game. For example,the gaming system provides a second award if a sequence of numbers isdisplayed in one of the rows of the selected symbol accumulation area.It should be appreciated that such second awards are based on the orderin which the symbols were selected for the play of the game.

In one embodiment, the gaming system provides a second award based onany symbols displayed in the selected symbol accumulation area when oneof the players wins the first award. In another embodiment, the gamingsystem continues selecting symbols until the selected symbolaccumulation area does not display any empty symbol positions. In oneembodiment, the gaming system continues selecting symbols until awinning symbol combination is displayed in the selected symbolaccumulation area. In one embodiment, after determining that a winningsymbol combination is displayed for one of the bingo cards, the gamingsystem selects at least one additional symbol and displays that symbolin the selected symbol accumulation area without determining whether theselected symbol is displayed in any symbol position of any of the bingocards. In various embodiments, the quantity of symbols displayed in theselected symbol accumulation area is predetermined, randomly determined,determined based on the player's status (such as determined through aplayer tracking system), determined based on a generated symbol orsymbol combination, determined based on a random determination by thecentral controller, determined based on a random determination at thegaming system, determined based on one or more side wagers placed,determined based on the player's primary game wager, determined based ontime (such as the time of day), determined based on an amount of coin-inaccumulated in one or more pools or determined based on any othersuitable method or criteria.

In one embodiment, which is not shown, the gaming system enables theplayer to wager on subsequent plays of the game using a same arrangementof generated symbols within the symbol positions of the symbol matricesfrom a previous play of the game. In another embodiment, the gamingsystem enables the player to wager on subsequent plays of the game usinga different or new generation of the plurality of symbols in the symbolpositions of the symbol matrices.

In one embodiment, wherein the disclosed game is implemented as afour-card bingo game, the gaming system displays each of the symbolmatrices as a separate bingo card. In this embodiment, the gaming systemdisplays each of the generated symbols as a numeral in one of aplurality of sections (such as squares) of the bingo cards. As thegaming system selects symbols for a play of the game, the gaming systemdisplays the selected symbols as balls including numerals beingdispensed from a bingo hopper. The gaming system in one embodimentdisplays the indicated matched symbols as being marked as in a bingogame, such as having an “X” drawn through the indicated matched symbol,or having a marker placed on top of the indicated matched symbol. Itshould be appreciated that in one embodiment, the selected symbolaccumulation area is displayed as a plurality of tubes, each tuberepresenting one of the columns, wherein the balls drawn from the hopperare dropped sequentially into one of the tubes.

In one embodiment, for the wager on the play of the game, the gamingsystem enables a player to assign one of the numerals from the pool ofnumerals to each of the symbol positions of the bingo cards. In thisembodiment, the gaming system prevents the player from assigning anumeral from the pool of numerals to a symbol position having a rangewithin which the numeral does not fall. In a further embodiment, thegaming system enables the player to assign each numeral from the pool ofnumerals to one and only one symbol position.

In various embodiments, the gaming system displays each of the sets ofsymbols as a set of symbols arranged in a shape other than a matrix,such as such as a set having a plurality of annular areas, each annulararea including at least one symbol position. In one embodiment, at leastone of the sets of symbols is displayed as having a different shape thanat least one other set of symbols. It should be appreciated that thegaming system disclosed herein may display the sets in any suitable waysuch that a winning combination of matched symbols can be determined.

It should be appreciated that in various embodiments, the additionalcharacteristic of the at least one symbol includes a characteristicother than an associated shape. For example, the additionalcharacteristic may include a symbol color, a symbol size, an animationassociated with the symbol, or a suit of a card from a standard deck ofcards associated with the symbol.

In various embodiments, the second award is based on the characteristicsof a plurality of symbols in a symbol combination displayed in theselected symbol accumulation area, wherein the characteristics areunrelated to the numeral associated with the symbol. For example, thesecond award may be based on a combination of symbols having a samecolor, a combination of symbols having a same suit of a standard deck ofcards, a combination of symbols having one symbol of each of a pluralityof colors, or a combination of symbols having one symbol of each of foursuits of a standard deck of cards. In a further embodiment, the secondaward is based on both the numeral associated with each symbol of acombination of symbols, as well as on the characteristics of the symbolsof the combinations of symbols. For example, the second award mayinclude a first value for a “straight”—that is, a combination of symbolshaving sequentially ascending or descending values, and may include asecond, different value for a “straight flush”—that is, a combination ofsymbols having sequentially ascending or sequentially descending valuesand having the same suit of a standard deck of cards.

In various embodiments, the game disclosed herein is implemented as basegame, a bonus game, or a combination base and bonus game. For example,the gaming system may provide the first award (if any) to the player asa base or primary game award, and may provide the second award (if any)to the player as a bonus or secondary game award. In one embodiment, thesum of first award and the second award constitutes a primary gameaward. In another embodiment, the sum of the first award and the secondaward constitutes a bonus game award. In one embodiment, the gamingsystem disclosed herein provides an award for the bonus game if theplayer has satisfied a bonus game eligibility condition. In one suchembodiment, the bonus game eligibility condition is satisfied by theplayer placing a bonus game eligibility wager.

In one embodiment, the gaming system disclosed herein populates thesymbol positions of the separate selected symbol accumulation area inany appropriate way based on the order in which the symbols areselected. In one embodiment, the gaming system fills one of the columnsof the separate selected symbol accumulation area prior to beginning tofill another of the columns. In another embodiment, the gaming systemfills one of the rows of the selected symbol accumulation area prior tofilling another one of the rows. In another embodiment, the gamingsystem fills an outer perimeter of the selected symbol accumulation areaprior to filling any of the symbol positions of an inner area. It shouldbe appreciated that the gaming system may utilize any appropriate schemefor filling the selected symbol accumulation area.

In one embodiment, during selection of the plurality of symbols from thesymbol pool for a play of the game, the gaming system does not remove aselected symbol from the symbol pool upon selection. In this embodiment,the gaming system instead stores data indicating that the symbol hasbeen selected. In one embodiment, if the gaming system randomly selectsa symbol which has data stored indicating that the symbol has beenpreviously selected, the gaming system re-selects a symbol from thesymbol pool. It should be appreciated that in this embodiment, thegaming system does not select the same symbol more than once for a playof the game.

In another embodiment, the gaming system randomly selects a plurality ofsymbols, in sequence, from the symbol pool without removing or otherwiseindicating that the selected symbols have been selected. In thisembodiment, the gaming system can select the same symbol twice for thesame play of the game. It should be appreciated that in variousembodiments, one or more winning combinations for a play of the game maybe based on at least one matched symbol being matched more than once fora play of the game, or on a plurality of the symbols of the selectedsymbol accumulation area being the same symbol.

In one embodiment, the gaming system does not generate and display eachsymbol of the symbol pool in one of the symbol positions of one of thematrices for a play of the game. In one such embodiment, the symbol poolincludes more symbols than the total quantity of symbol positions. Inthis embodiment, one or more symbols from the symbol pool are notdisplayed in any symbol position. It should be appreciated that in thisembodiment, for a play of the game, one or more selected symbolsdisplayed in the selected symbol accumulation area may not result in amatched symbol of one of the symbol positions.

In one embodiment, the gaming system selects approximately half of thetotal quantity of symbols in the symbol pool for a play of the game. Invarious other embodiments, the gaming system selects more or less thanapproximately half of the total quantity of symbols in the symbol poolfor the play of the game. It should be appreciated that more symbolsselected and displayed in the selected symbol accumulation area for aplay of game increase the likelihood that the gaming system willgenerate one or more winning symbol combinations in one or more of thesymbol matrices. Similarly, fewer symbols selected for a play of thegame as a percentage of the quantity of symbol positions decreases thelikelihood that a winning symbol combination will be generated for oneor more of the symbol matrices.

In one embodiment, the gaming system provides the second award for aplay of the game, wherein the second award is not based on a pattern orspatial relationship of symbols displayed in the selected symbolaccumulation area. In this embodiment, any second award for the play ofthe game is based on the presence of a plurality of symbols of a winningsymbol combination in the secondary symbol accumulation area. It shouldbe appreciated that in one embodiment, this second award contrasts withthe first award, which is based on patterns or spatial relationships ofsymbols displayed in the plurality of symbol matrices without regard forwhich symbols are included in the patterns or spatial relationships.

In one embodiment, the gaming system provides an award for a pluralityof numerical symbols which satisfy a mathematical relationship. In onesuch embodiment, the gaming system provides a second award if acombination of symbols includes only odd numerals. In another suchembodiment, the gaming system provides a second award if a combinationof symbols includes only even numerals. In various embodiments, thegaming system provides a second award if a combination of symbolsincludes symbols each selected from a designated range or group ofsymbols, has a sum exceeding a threshold sum, has a sum which is lessthan a threshold sum, includes only prime numerals, includes numeralsending in a same digit (i.e., numeral symbols of twenty-one, thirty-one,forty-one, and fifty-one), includes numerals beginning in the same digit(i.e., numeral symbols of twenty-one, twenty-four, twenty-six,twenty-nine, and twenty-three), includes numerals with a common factor(i.e., numeral symbols of four, sixteen, twenty-four, and twenty-eight),or has any other suitable relationship. In one embodiment, the gamingsystem provides any second award based on a winning combination ofsymbols selected from a given range or grouping of symbols (i.e.,symbols from the range of numerals between twenty and twenty-five). Itshould be appreciated that such winning symbol combinations may bedisplayed in any pattern or spatial arrangement, such as horizontallines, vertical lines, diagonal lines, or any other suitable pattern orspatial arrangement.

In various embodiments, wherein the symbols of the symbol pool are notnumerals (and wherein the game is not implemented as a modification to astandard bingo game), the matrices of symbol positions may be displayedin accordance with the symbols. In one such embodiment, the symbol poolrepresents a standard deck of playing cards and the symbol matricesrepresent hands of a card game. In this embodiment, the symbol matricesinclude a plurality of playing card positions, and a play of the game isdisplayed as a dealer dealing cards to a plurality of hands. Further, inthis embodiment the first award is based on a winning hand according toa set of rules for a card game such as based on standard poker handstrength, and the second award is based on a combination of the dealtcards based on the order in which the cards are dealt.

In one embodiment, the gaming system determines whether to select one ormore bonus symbols from the symbol pool based on the symbols displayedin the selected symbol accumulation area. Generally, the gaming systemdetermines the displayed symbols (or the associated characteristics ofthe displayed symbols) form a designated combination as displayed in theselected symbol accumulation area. In various embodiments, the gamingsystem determines whether to select one or more bonus symbols from thesymbol pool based on a combination of sequential symbols displayed in asingle row in the selected symbol accumulation area, based on acombination of sequential symbols arranged within the same row of theselected symbol accumulation area, based on a common characteristic of aplurality of symbols in the same row of the selected symbol accumulationarea, or based on a common characteristic of a plurality of symbols inthe same column of the selected symbol accumulation area. In still otherembodiments, the determination whether to select one or more bonussymbols is predetermined, randomly determined, determined based on theplayer's status (such as determined through a player tracking system),determined based on a generated symbol or symbol combination, determinedbased on a random determination by the central controller, determinedbased on a random determination at the gaming system, determined basedon one or more side wagers placed, determined based on the player'sprimary game wager, determined based on time (such as the time of day),determined based on an amount of coin-in accumulated in one or morepools or determined based on any other suitable method or criteria.

In one embodiment, the selection of one or more bonus symbols for a playof the game does not modify the award provided unless additional winningsymbol combinations are generated in the symbol matrices. In analternative embodiment, the bonus symbols modify an award alreadyreceived for a play of the game, such as by applying a multiplier to anaward, thus increasing the award by a determined amount. In variousembodiments, the amount by which the award is increased or modified ispredetermined, randomly determined, determined based on the player'sstatus (such as determined through a player tracking system), determinedbased on a generated symbol or symbol combination, determined based on arandom determination by the central controller, determined based on arandom determination at the gaming system, determined based on one ormore side wagers placed, determined based on the player's primary gamewager, determined based on time (such as the time of day), determinedbased on an amount of coin-in accumulated in one or more pools ordetermined based on any other suitable method or criteria.

In one embodiment, the disclosed gaming system enables a player to causea change in the displayed order of the symbols of the selected symboldisplay area. In one such embodiment, the gaming system enables such achange by enabling a player to select the position of one or more of thesymbols of the selected symbol display area. In another such embodiment,the gaming system is configured to change the position of one or more ofthe symbols of the selected symbol accumulation area by randomlydetermining a position for the symbol. In one embodiment, the gamingsystem enables such changes to the positions of the symbols of theselected symbol accumulation area based on a wager on a play of thegame. In other embodiments, whether the gaming system enables suchchanges to the displayed order is predetermined, randomly determined,determined based on the player's status (such as determined through aplayer tracking system), determined based on a generated symbol orsymbol combination, determined based on a random determination by thecentral controller, determined based on a random determination at thegaming system, determined based on one or more side wagers placed,determined based on the player's primary game wager, determined based ontime (such as the time of day), determined based on an amount of coin-inaccumulated in one or more pools or determined based on any othersuitable method or criteria.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications to thepresently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present subjectmatter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is thereforeintended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appendedclaims.

The invention is claimed as follows:
 1. A gaming system comprising: afirst gaming machine including: (a) a first housing; (b) at least onefirst gaming machine display device supported by the first housing; (c)a plurality of first gaming machine input devices supported by the firsthousing, the plurality of first gaming machine input devices including:(i) a first acceptor of a first physical item associated with a firstmonetary value; (ii) a first validator configured to identify the firstphysical item; and (iii) a first cashout button actuatable to cause afirst payment associated with a first credit balance; (d) at least onefirst gaming machine processor; and (e) at least one first gamingmachine memory device storing a plurality of first gaming machineinstructions which, when executed by the at least one first gamingmachine processor, cause the at least one first gaming machine processorto operate with the at least one first gaming machine display device andthe plurality of first gaming machine input devices; a second gamingmachine including: (a) a second housing; (b) at least one second gamingmachine display device supported by the second housing; (c) a pluralityof second gaming machine input devices supported by the second housing,the plurality of second gaming machine input devices including: (i) asecond acceptor of a second physical item associated with a secondmonetary value; (ii) a second validator configured to identify thesecond physical item; and (iii) a second cashout button actuatable tocause a second payment associated with a second credit balance; (d) atleast one second gaming machine processor; and (e) at least one secondgaming machine memory device storing a plurality of second gamingmachine instructions which, when executed by the at least one secondgaming machine processor, cause the at least one second gaming machineprocessor to operate with the at least one second gaming machine displaydevice and the plurality of second gaming machine input devices; and aserver including: (a) at least one server processor; and (b) at leastone server memory device storing a plurality of server instructionsoperable by the at least one server processor, wherein the first gamingmachine, the second gaming machine, and the server are configured tooperate to: (a) for a first player of the first gaming machine, randomlygenerate, via the at least one server processor, and display, via the atleast one first gaming machine display device, a first bingo cardassociated with said first player, the first bingo card including afirst plurality of different symbols of a symbol pool; (b) for a secondplayer of the second gaming machine, randomly generate, via the at leastone server processor, and display, via the at least one second gamingmachine display device, a second bingo card associated with said secondplayer, the second bingo card including a second plurality of differentsymbols of the symbol pool; (c) randomly select, via the at least oneserver processor, one of the symbols from the symbol pool; (d) for eachof the first bingo card, for each of any of the symbols of said firstbingo card that matches the selected symbol, display, via the at leastone first gaming machine display device, a match indication for saidsymbol of said first bingo card; (e) for the second bingo card, for eachof any of the symbols of said second bingo card that matches theselected symbol, display, via the at least one second gaming machinedisplay device, a match indication for said symbol of said second bingocard; (f) display, via the at least one first gaming machine displaydevice and the at least one second gaming machine display device, theselected symbol in a separate selected symbol accumulation area based onan order in which the selected symbol was selected; (g) repeat (c) to(f) until a termination event occurs; and (h) after the terminationevent occurs: (i) for each of the players, if at least one of aplurality of winning combinations of match indications is displayed onthe bingo card of said player, determine a first award to be provided tosaid player; (ii) if a designated combination of the selected symbols isdisplayed in a first one of a plurality of predetermined spatialarrangements in the separate selected symbol accumulation area,determine a second award of a first amount to be provided to one or moreof the players; (iii) if said designated combination of the selectedsymbols is displayed in a second one of the predetermined spatialarrangements, the second predetermined spatial arrangement beingdifferent than the first predetermined spatial arrangement, determine athird award of a second amount to be provided to one or more of theplayers; and (iv) for each player, modify the credit balance of saidplayer based on any determined awards for said player.
 2. The gamingsystem of claim 1, wherein the termination event occurs when one of: (a)at least one of the first and second bingo cards displays at least oneof the winning combinations of match indications, (b) each of the firstand second bingo cards displays at least one of the winning combinationsof match indications, (c) a designated quantity of the symbols has beenselected from the symbol pool, and (d) the designated combination of theselected symbols is displayed in at least one of the plurality ofpredetermined spatial arrangements in the separate selected symbolaccumulation area.
 3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein theplurality of server instructions, when executed by the at least oneserver processor, cause the at least one server processor to: (a) afterdetermining the second award, determine to provide the determined secondaward to at least one of the players whose bingo card displays at leastone of the winning combinations of match indications; and (b) afterdetermining the third award, determine to provide the determined thirdaward to at least one of the players whose bingo card displays at leastone of the winning combinations of match indications.
 4. The gamingsystem of claim 1, wherein the plurality of server instructions, whenexecuted by the at least one server processor, cause the at least oneserver processor to, after the termination event occurs: (a) randomlyselect an additional one of the symbols from the symbol pool, and (b)cause the at least one first gaming machine display device and the atleast one second gaming machine display device to display the selectedadditional symbol in the separate selected symbol accumulation area. 5.The gaming system of claim 4, wherein: (a) the plurality of first gamingmachine instructions, when executed by the at least one first gamingmachine processor, cause the at least one first gaming machine processorto operate with the at least one first gaming machine display device to,for each of any of the symbols of said first bingo card that matches theselected additional symbol, display a match indication for said symbolof said first bingo card; and (b) the plurality of second gaming machineinstructions, when executed by the at least one second gaming machineprocessor, cause the at least one second gaming machine processor tooperate with the at least one second gaming machine display device to,for each of any of the symbols of the second bingo card that matches theselected additional symbol, display a match indication for said symbolof said second bingo card.
 6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein thefirst gaming machine, the second gaming machine, and the server areconfigured to operate to: (a) for the first player, randomly generate,via the at least one server processor, and display, via the at least onefirst gaming machine display device, a plurality of bingo cardsassociated with said first player; and (b) for the second player,randomly generate, via the at least one server processor, and display,via the at least one second gaming machine display device, a pluralityof bingo cards associated with said second player.
 7. A method ofoperating a gaming system, said method comprising: (a) for a firstplayer of a first gaming machine, causing at least one server processorto execute a plurality of server instructions stored in at least oneserver memory device to randomly generate a first bingo card associatedwith said first player and cause at least one first gaming machinedisplay device to display said first bingo card, the first bingo cardincluding a first plurality of different symbols of a symbol pool; (b)for a second player of a second gaming machine, causing the at least oneserver processor to execute the plurality of server instructions storedin the at least one server memory device to randomly generate a secondbingo card associated with said second player and cause at least onesecond gaming machine display device to display said second bingo card,the second bingo card including a second plurality of different symbolsof the symbol pool; (c) causing the at least one server processor toexecute the plurality of instructions to randomly select one of thesymbols from the symbol pool; (d) for the first bingo card, for each ofany of the symbols of said first bingo card that matches the selectedsymbol, causing the at least one server processor to execute theplurality of server instructions to cause the at least one first gamingmachine display device to display a match indication for said symbol ofsaid first bingo card; (e) for the second bingo card, for each of any ofthe symbols of said second bingo card that matches the selected symbol,causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality ofserver instructions to cause the at least one second gaming machinedisplay device to display a match indication for said symbol of saidsecond bingo card; (f) causing the at least one server processor toexecute the plurality of server instructions to cause the at least onefirst gaming machine display device and the at least one second gamingmachine display device to display the selected symbol in a separateselected symbol accumulation area based on an order in which theselected symbol was selected; (g) repeating (c) to (f) until atermination event occurs; and (h) after the termination event occurs:(i) for each of the players, if at least one of a plurality of winningcombinations of match indications is displayed on the bingo card of saidplayer, causing the at least one server processor to execute theplurality of server instructions to determine a first award to beprovided to said player; (ii) if a designated combination of theselected symbols is displayed in a first one of a plurality ofpredetermined spatial arrangements in the separate selected symbolaccumulation area, causing the at least one server processor to executethe plurality of server instructions to determine a second award of afirst amount; (iii) if said designated combination of the selectedsymbols is displayed in a second one of the predetermined spatialarrangements, the second predetermined spatial arrangement beingdifferent than the first predetermined spatial arrangement, causing theat least one server processor to execute the plurality of serverinstructions to determine a third award of a second amount to beprovided to one or more of the players; (iv) for the first player,modify a first credit balance of the first player based on anydetermined awards for the first player, the first credit balance being:(1) increasable via receipt, by a first acceptor of the first gamingmachine, of a first physical item associated with a first monetary valueand via identification, by a first validator of the first gamingmachine, of the first physical item; and (2) decreasable via actuationof a first cashout button of the first gaming machine to cause aninitiation of a first payout associated with the first credit balance;and (v) for the second player, modify a second credit balance of thesecond player based on any determined awards for the second player, thesecond credit balance being: (1) increasable via receipt, by a secondacceptor of the second gaming machine, of a second physical itemassociated with a second monetary value and via identification, by asecond validator of the second gaming machine, of the second physicalitem; and (2) decreasable via actuation of a second cashout button ofthe second gaming machine to cause an initiation of a second payoutassociated with the second credit balance.
 8. The method of claim 7,wherein the termination event occurs when one of: (a) at least one ofthe first and second bingo cards displays at least one of the winningcombinations of match indications, (b) each of the first and secondbingo cards displays at least one of the winning combinations of matchindications, (c) a designated quantity of the symbols has been selectedfrom the symbol pool, and (d) the designated combination of the selectedsymbols is displayed in at least one of the plurality of predeterminedspatial arrangements in the separate selected symbol accumulation area.9. The method of claim 7, which includes causing the at least one serverprocessor to execute the plurality of server instructions to: (a) afterdetermining the second award, determine to provide one of the determinedsecond award to at least one of the players whose bingo card displays atleast one of the winning combinations of match indications; and (b)after determining the third award, determine to provide the determinedthird award to at least one of the players whose bingo card displays atleast one of the winning combinations of match indications.
 10. Themethod of claim 7, which includes causing the at least one serverprocessor to execute the plurality of server instructions to, after thetermination event occurs: (a) randomly select an additional one of thesymbols from the symbol pool, and (b) cause the at least one firstgaming machine display device and the at least one second gaming machinedisplay device to display the selected additional symbol in the separateselected symbol accumulation area.
 11. The method of claim 10, whichincludes: (a) causing the at least one server processor to execute theplurality of server instructions to cause the at least one first gamingmachine display device to, for the first bingo card, for each of any ofthe symbols of said first bingo card that matches the selectedadditional symbol, display a match indication for said symbol of saidfirst bingo card; and (b) causing the at least one server processor toexecute the plurality of server instructions to cause the at least onesecond gaming machine display device to, for the second bingo card, foreach of any of the symbols of said second bingo card that matches theselected additional symbol, display a match indication for said symbolof said second bingo card.
 12. The method of claim 7, which includes:(a) causing the at least one server processor to execute the pluralityof server instructions to, for the first player, randomly generate aplurality of first bingo cards associated with said first player andcause the at least one first gaming machine display device to displaysaid first bingo cards; and (b) causing the at least one serverprocessor to execute the plurality of server instructions to, for thesecond player, randomly generate a plurality of second bingo cardsassociated with said second player and cause the at least one secondgaming machine display device to display said second bingo cards. 13.The method of claim 7, which is provided through a data network.
 14. Themethod of claim 13, wherein the data network is an internet.
 15. Anon-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of serverinstructions which, when executed by at least one server processor,cause the at least one server processor to perform a method comprising:(a) for a first player of a first gaming machine, randomly generating afirst bingo card associated with said first player and causing one ormore first gaming machine display devices to display said first bingocard, the first bingo card including a first plurality of differentsymbols of a symbol pool; (b) for a second player of a second gamingmachine randomly generating a second bingo card associated with saidsecond player and causing one or more second gaming machine displaydevices to display said second bingo card, the second bingo cardincluding a second plurality of different symbols of the symbol pool (c)randomly selecting one of the symbols from the symbol pool; (d) for thefirst bingo card, for each of any of the symbols of said first bingocard that matches the selected symbol, causing the one or more firstgaming machine display devices to display a match indication for saidsymbol of said first bingo card; (e) for the second bingo card, for eachof any of the symbols of said second bingo card that matches theselected symbol, causing the one or more second gaming machine displaydevices to display a match indication for said symbol of said secondbingo card; (f) causing the one or more first gaming machine displaydevices and the one or more second gaming machine display devices todisplay the selected symbol in a separate selected symbol accumulationarea based on an order in which the selected symbol was selected; (g)repeating (c) to (f) until a termination event occurs; and (h) after thetermination event occurs: (i) for each of the players, if at least oneof a plurality of winning combinations of match indications is displayedon the bingo card of said player, determining a first award to beprovided to said player; (ii) if a designated combination of theselected symbols is displayed in a first one of a plurality ofpredetermined spatial arrangements in the separate selected symbolaccumulation area, determining a second award having a first amount tobe provided to one or more of the players; (iii) if said designatedcombination of the selected symbols is displayed in a second one of thepredetermined spatial arrangements, the second predetermined spatialarrangement being different than the first predetermined spatialarrangement, determining a third award of a second amount to be providedto one or more of the players; and (iv) for the first player, modify afirst credit balance of the first player based on any determined awardsfor the first player, the first credit balance being: (1) increasablevia receipt, by a first acceptor of the first gaming machine, of a firstphysical item associated with a first monetary value and viaidentification, by a first validator of the first gaming machine, of thefirst physical item; and (2) decreasable via actuation of a firstcashout button of the first gaming machine to cause an initiation of afirst payout associated with the first credit balance; and (v) for thesecond player, modify a second credit balance of the second player basedon any determined awards for the second player, the second creditbalance being: (1) increasable via receipt, by a second acceptor of thesecond gaming machine, of a second physical item associated with asecond monetary value and via identification, by a second validator ofthe second gaming machine, of the second physical item; and (2)decreasable via actuation of a second cashout button of the secondgaming machine to cause an initiation of a second payout associated withthe second credit balance.
 16. The non-transitory computer readablemedium of claim 15, wherein the termination event occurs when one of:(a) at least one of the first and second bingo cards displays at leastone of the winning combinations of match indications, (b) each of thefirst and second bingo cards displays at least one of the winningcombinations of match indications, (c) a designated quantity of thesymbols has been selected from the symbol pool, and (d) the designatedcombination of the selected symbols is displayed in at least one of theplurality of predetermined spatial arrangements in the separate selectedsymbol accumulation area.
 17. The non-transitory computer readablemedium of claim 15, wherein the method includes: (a) after determiningthe second award, determining to provide the determined second award toat least one of the players whose bingo card displays at least one ofthe winning combinations of match indications; and (b) after determiningthe third award, determining to provide the determined third award to atleast one of the players whose bingo card displays at least one of thewinning combinations of match indications.
 18. The non-transitorycomputer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method includes, afterthe termination event occurs: (a) randomly selecting an additional oneof the symbols from the symbol pool, and (b) causing the one or morefirst gaming machine display devices and the one or more second gamingmachine display devices to display the selected additional symbol in theseparate selected symbol accumulation area.
 19. The non-transitorycomputer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method includes: (a)causing the one or more first gaming machine display devices to, for thefirst bingo card, for each of any of the symbols of said first bingocard that matches the selected additional symbol, display a matchindication for said symbol of said first bingo card; (b) causing the oneor more second gaming machine display devices to, for the second bingocard, for each of any of the symbols of said second bingo card thatmatches the selected additional symbol, display a match indication forsaid symbol of said second bingo card.
 20. The non-transitory computerreadable medium of claim 15, wherein the method includes: (a) for thefirst player, randomly generating a plurality of first bingo cardsassociated with said first player and causing the one or more firstgaming machine display devices to display said first bingo cards; and(b) for the second player, randomly generating a plurality of secondbingo cards associated with said second player and causing the one ormore second gaming machine display devices to display said second bingocards.